Seduction by Darkness
by DragonKatGal
Summary: *COMPLETE* BTVS/HP Crossover. One was raised by Muggles, the other raised by Death Eaters, but both were the twin children of Lily and James Potter. NEW: Chapter 48 & 49
1. The Beginning

Seduction of Darkness

DISCLAIMER: Not mine. Rowling and Whedon rock!

SUMMARY: BTVS/HP crossover (kinda getting a pattern here)

PAIRING: All will be revealed later on.

NOTES: I've only ever seen this pairing once before, but I wanted to see if I could write one myself and make it believable. Let me know how I do, kay?

SETTINGS: This is set in a completely Alternate Universe. Just read it, you'll find out. No yelling for continuity stuff…there's a reason that I'm making the deaths of James a Lily a teeny bit later in life.

SECOND SUMMARY: One was raised by muggles, the other raised by Death-Eaters, but both were the children of Lily and James Potter.

SECOND NOTE: So, hey, I can't be bothered re-writing the books, so I'll be jumping around a fair whack. I'll try and give you some notice for when we change books, but as a general rule, it's not going to be linear. If it happens in the books, it happens in here, I just won't mention it.

ONWARDS:

CHAPTER ONE: THE BEGINNING

"It's quiet tonight," James whispered, pressing a soft kiss to the top of his wife's head, smiling as he inhaled the scent of strawberries and cream.

"Which just shows which of us spent the last hour trying to get Harry and Ellie to actually sleep," Lily replied, teasing her husband in good humour.

James just chuckled softly and pulled Lily into a tighter embrace. Lily sighed happily, completely content within the arms of her husband, and the knowledge that her two children were asleep in the next room.

"Who was fussing?" James asked.

"Harry," Lily replied. "He wanted to stay in Ellie's bed tonight."

James eyebrows furrowed. "He always hated sharing with Ellie," he commented.

"It was strange," Lily agreed. "The last time that happened was when Ellie got that really bad cold."

"And Ellie hates the Healers for some reason," James said, a smile that only a parent can smile on his face as he thought about his fussy daughter who screamed whenever she was taken to see a Healer.

"She hates the Healers because they couldn't help your mum," Lily said softly.

James nodded sadly, both at the real reason of his daughter's fear of Healers, and at the reminder of his now dead mother. She'd been sick and the Healers hadn't been able to do anything for her. Ellie had been in with her when her grandmother had died.

"Let's just hope she isn't sick then," James said.

Lily nodded and snuggled closer to her husband, loving how safe she felt whenever she was in his arms. When it was just them and their two children it felt as though nothing in the world could go wrong. It was possible to forget about the war that was going on throughout the wizarding world. It was possible to forget that they were actively fighting against the evilest wizard to ever walk the earth. It was possible to forget that they'd already faced Voldemort and walked away. It was twice that they'd managed to foil the Dark Lord's plans to kill them.

"Maybe they're just going through the Terrible Two's," Lily said.

James groaned. "Merlin I hope not. One of them going through it would be bad enough, but _two_ of them?"

"It's your fault that we had twins!" Lily teased.

"I happen to remember you being a very, _very_ willing participant in that," James said moving his hands from his wife's waist and up to softly caress her breasts.

Lily moaned softly and shifted her position so that James could manoeuvre himself to lie on top of her, their lips meeting softly.

"Still complaining?" James asked, sucking softly at the pulse point on Lily's neck.

"Just one," Lily replied.

"Oh?"

"Too many clothes," she whispered.

James grinned and moved to rectify the problem.

A loud and piercing cry came from the next room, and all thoughts of passion were immediately dampened. They both jumped off the bed, grabbed their wands and raced to the next room, James not even hesitating when he saw three robed figures in his children's room.

"_Stupefy!_"

"_Protego!_"

The bright red jet of light came racing back at James and Lily, and they both quickly moved out of the way, as Lily shot another spell at the intruders that they knew to be Death-Eaters.

"_Impedimenta!_"

"_Expelliarmus!_" James yelled.

One wand came flying to James' hand, leaving only two Death-Eaters with wands.

"Get the child!" a silky voice commanded the other two.

James recognised the voice, and he stepped forward, not even bothering to hesitate. No one was going to get a hold of either of his children, not while he was alive.

He grabbed hold of one of the Death-Eaters while Lily was frantically casting spells at the other two who were trying to pull one of the children out of the small child-sized bed.

"Mamma!" Ellie yelled frantically, struggling wildly in the Death-Eaters arms. Her bright green eyes were wide with terror, begging her mother to help her.

"Ellie!" both Lily and Harry yelled. Harry shot out of his bed as fast as his tiny two-year-old body could carry him.

Lily was grabbed by one of the Death-Eaters, and a quick punch to her sternum had her on her knees, gasping for breath and yelling for James.

James punched the Death-Eater he had grabbed earlier, the man he knew to be Lucius Malfoy. That meant that the two Death-Eaters at his sides were most likely Crabbe and Goyle, or possibly Nott and Parkinson.

Malfoy staggered, but remained upright. The Death-Eater who had grabbed Ellie noticed the small two-year-old who was hovering around knee height. He kicked the boy aside, sending him towards his mother. Lily grabbed hold of her son, trying to get to her feet.

"Ree!" Ellie cried, calling out to her whimpering brother. She'd always had problems pronouncing Harry's name, and had shortened it to just Ree so that she could say it properly.

"Go, you morons!" Malfoy yelled.

The Death-Eater holding Ellie yelped as the child bit him, and he just held her tighter. She struggled even more, and the Death-Eater grabbed a tight hold of the back of her neck, the delicate chain of her necklace snapping and falling to the floor.

"Mamma!" Ellie yelled, her voice high in pitch, the terror obvious.

Lily was on her feet and racing towards her daughter, but before she could reach the struggling girl, the Death-Eater disapparated.

"NO!" Lily yelled, rushing at the other Death-Eater, who disapparated as well before Lily could get to him.

"Where did you take her?!" James yelled frantically, holding onto Malfoy's robes as he beat the man, holding back nothing.

"To a new home," Malfoy replied sadistically. He pushed James away with all the strength he had left, and before James could get a better grip on the Death-Eater, Malfoy had followed suit and disapparated back to his Lord and Master, leaving James, Lily and Harry Potter alone in the room that the Potters had painted yellow.

James noticed the silver chain lying broken on the floor, and he bent down to pick up the chain that his daughter refused to take off, even for bath-times. The clasp had broken on the chain, but the pendant was still in perfect condition. He closed his fist around the silver jewellery before taking the few steps needed so that he could pull his wife and his son into a tight embrace.

Harry was squirming in his mother's arms, his bright green eyes filling with tears as James and Lily hugged each other desperately. For three and a half seconds, James had no clue what to do. And then it hit him.

"We have to get to Dumbledore."

-----

I'm having troubles actually writing a straight Buffy fic without crossing it over with Harry Potter. Getting kinda sad really. Eh. Play to your strengths and all that. Hope you guys enjoy the beginning of another epic. ;)

Toodles.

DKG.

EDIT: 29/01/09 Thanks to ChildoftheJoker for the nitpicking!! 'Bright green ears'. Hilarious. In four years, I never once noticed!!


	2. The Order

CHAPTER TWO: THE ORDER

Albus Dumbledore was not someone who was easily shocked, but when James, Lily and young Harry Potter all suddenly appeared in the dead of the night looking absolutely devastated and angry beyond belief, he was –to say the least – a little surprised.

"James, Lily…what brings you here?" the Headmaster-turned-head of the Order of the Phoenix asked.

And then something else hit the Headmaster.  Something was missing.  More importantly _someone_ was missing.

"Where's Elizabeth?" he asked.

"Death-Eaters," James managed to get out, his voice so low and filled with anger that it would have scared Dumbledore is he hadn't been feeling the same towards the Death-Eaters.

"They took her," Lily finished.

Dumbledore paled, and his eyes hardened to a terrifying shade of dark blue.  He'd never looked more terrifying.

"Take Harry and wait downstairs.  I'll summon the others."

------------------------

Harry squirmed as he rested in his godfather's lap.  He was watching his father pace and his mother try to hold back tears.  He looked at his godfather with large green tear-filled eyes, the sadness in his eyes breaking Sirius Black's heart.

"Where's Ellie?" Harry asked.

Lily covered her mouth to stifle a sob and Molly Weasley stepped forward to hug the younger woman.  Lily practically flung herself at Molly, taking comfort in the other woman's embrace.

"We'll get her back Harry," Sirius replied, ruffling Harry's permanently messy hair. 

Harry nodded trustingly and tried to settle down.  He couldn't though.  He missed his sister, and he wanted her back. 

"Severus, do you have any idea where Voldemort would have taken her?" James asked.

Severus Snape was not someone that James Potter liked.  James Potter was not someone that Severus Snape liked either, but for the moment, neither of them remembered that fact.  Snape was not the cold-hearted bastard that he purported himself to be.  He did have a soft side, and he didn't want anything to happen to the tiny Potter girl.  No one, especially a child of that age, deserved to be taken by Death-Eaters.

"It really depends what he would want her for," Snape admitted.

Lily whimpered and Molly tightened her grip on the devastated woman.  Not even Snape was unaffected by the obvious grief that the Potter's were feeling.

"Is there any chance you could find out why he wanted Ellie?" James asked.

"I can try," Snape replied.

James nodded, and Snape returned the gesture, their childhood feud put on hold while James' youngest child was being held captive by the Death-Eaters.

"In the meantime, we've sent out a contingent of Aurors," Alastor Moody said gruffly.  "Snape's information has helped us, but we don't have a clue why Voldemort would even want your little lass."

"We'll do everything we can to get her back James," Dumbledore said.  "I promise you."

"And we'll be there for you," Remus Lupin assured his best friend.

"Right at your side," Sirius Black agreed.

"Every step of the way," Peter Pettigrew added.

James nodded and walked over to his wife, pulling her gently away from Molly and into his own embrace.  The two Potters clung to each other tightly, each of them praying to whatever Higher Powers there were that their little girl wouldn't be harmed by the Death-Eaters.

------------------------

"Why do you really think Voldemort took her?" James asked.

Albus Dumbledore sighed.  He should have known that the young ex-Gryffindor Quidditch Caption would eventually ask that question.  And now that Lily was sleeping thanks to a Sleeping Potion prepared by Severus, Dumbledore knew that James would want brutally honest answers.

"I honestly don't know," Dumbledore replied.  "Though any possible scenario I can conjure does not end well."

James nodded and swallowed hard, trying to prepare himself for the worst. 

"She's only two years old," James whispered.  "She and Harry just had their birthdays two months ago.  Lily had this strange idea to get the twins something from each other…their neck-chains.  Ellie's is a gryphon…Harry's is a lion…for Gryffindor, you know.  Because that's what House they'll be in when they go to Hogwarts.  Harry's going to be a Quidditch Player, and little Ellie…she…she…Merlin, my beautiful little girl.  She's…she's so perfect.  Blonde like Lily's mum…she's got this tiny little birthmark on her left shoulder…Harry's got one on his right.  Why her?  Why my little Ellie?"

James couldn't hold the tears in any longer.  They'd been threatening to fall since his little girl had been taken, but he'd held them in, but that was no longer the case.  He fell to his knees and sobbed, whispering one word that meant a third of his entire world –Ellie-.  In his hand, he clutched a silver chain with a pendant of a Gryphon on it, a reminder that he had failed his beautiful daughter, and that for all of his bravery and courage, he hadn't been able to protect her.

------------------------

Death Eaters Attack Again 

_In the early hours of September 29th, Death-Eaters attacked the home belonging to Lily and James Potter.  The Death-Eaters entered their home at approximately midnight and attacked the Potter's sleeping children, Harry James and Elizabeth Anne Potter.  Elizabeth 'Ellie' Potter was captured by the Death-Eaters, and is still missing._

_If anyone has any information, please contact the Ministry of Magic…_

------------------------

"It's been four weeks!" Sirius yelled angrily.

"I've searched everywhere for her!" Snape replied, his voice just as angry as Sirius'.  "Don't you dare accuse me of not trying!"

Lily held Harry tightly on her lap, his tiny face buried at the crook of her neck.  One of his small hands was tightly holding the chain around his neck, the chain that Ellie had 'given' him for his birthday.  The only thing he really had left of his younger-by-twelve-hours sister. 

"What have you found out?" Lily asked softly.

Snape felt his anger disappear.  He'd always had a soft spot for Lily Evans-Potter, even though she had the terrible taste of marrying James 'that stupid prat' Potter.  

"The Dark Lord is going to try attacking you and Potter again," he replied.  "I'm fairly certain he knows where you've been hiding."

"They can't stay there if Lord…I mean You-Know-Who knows where they are," Peter said.

James and Lily exchanged worried glances. 

"There is a place," Dumbledore said quietly.  "It's hidden…and empty.  Voldemort would never think to look for you there."

"Where?" Peter asked.

"It doesn't matter where," Remus replied.  "As long as James, Lily and Harry will be safe."

"Wouldn't that be…running away?" James asked, not wanting to be thought a coward.  He was a Gryffindor for Merlin's sake, he couldn't just run in the face of danger.

Sirius clapped his hand on James' shoulder.  "Prongs mate, you've got a family to think of.  You have to protect them first."

James sighed, hating that his best friend was right.  But Sirius did have a point.  He'd already lost his daughter, he didn't want to lose Lily and Harry, especially not when there was still a good chance that his daughter was still alive.  He had a feeling that if Voldemort _had_ killed Ellie, the Dark Lord would have taunted them with the knowledge of her death, or worse, sent her tiny dead body in some sinister manner to gloat about his power over those who opposed him.

"We'll go," he agreed.

"James, a word, if you will?" Dumbledore asked.

------------------------

"It's perfect!" Sirius exclaimed.  "No one would suspect him!"

"Padfoot, he's…Wormtail's a great friend, but…if Voldemort got his hands on him…he'd torture it out of him in minutes," James replied.

"But he's not going to go after Wormtail," Sirius replied.  "If you were Voldemort, and you were trying to kill…well, you I suppose, who would you think was your secret keeper?"

James thought about it for a moment.  "You or Dumbledore," he conceded.

"Wormtail's the perfect choice…Voldemort'd never expect him!"

------------------------

"Not Harry! Not Harry! Please, not Harry!"

"Stand aside, silly girl…stand aside now…"

"Not Harry, please no. Take me, kill me instead!  You've…you've already taken my daughter!"

The woman was screaming, holding a young child in her arms, the boy barely two-years-old.

"And she is such a delightful child," came the cold harsh-voice that sent shivers up and down Lily's spine.  "So beautiful…her screams are like music, and her blood tastes equisite.  And now the boy shall die."

"Not Harry! Please…have mercy…have mercy…."

There was more laughter followed by a bright green light. After an ear-splitting scream, there was only silence.

------------------------

"Lily and James…I can't believe it…I didn't want to believe it…oh Albus…"

Dumbledore reached out and patter Minerva McGonagall on the shoulder.  "I know…I know…" he said heavily.

"That's not all.  They're saying he tried to kill Harry. But he couldn't.  He couldn't kill that little boy.  No one knows why, or how, but they're saying that when he couldn't kill Harry Potter, Voldemort's power somehow broke – and that's why he's gone."

Dumbledore nodded glumly.

"It's – it's true?" faltered Professor McGonagall.  "After all he's done…all the people he's killed…he couldn't kill a little boy?  It's just astounding…of all the things to stop him…but how in the name of heaven did Harry survive?"

"We can only guess," said Dumbledore.  "We may never know."

"Is there any word on Elizabeth?" McGonagall asked.

The Potter's story was well known to all, and the disappearance of their youngest child was a famous story throughout the wizarding world.

Dumbledore sighed and shook his head.  "Severus was unable to discover anything, and nor was our other spy," Dumbledore admitted.  "We have no choice but to believe that she is dead."

McGonagall gasped, her hand covering her mouth, tears welling in her eyes.

"That poor girl…what they must have put her through…"

Dumbledore silently agreed, and unconsciously reached within a pocket of his robes, his fingers brushing the small silver pendant of a Gryphon on a delicate silver chain.  He had no hopes of ever returning it to its owner, but the Headmaster of Hogwarts just couldn't bring himself to discard the treasured item.

------------------------

A day later, Harry Potter was ensconced within the house of Petunia and Vernon Dursley, and their young son Dudley.

Back in London, Sirius Black had been arrested and thrown into Azkaban Prison for treachery, and the murder of Peter Pettigrew. 

And in the bottom of a dank and filthy sewer, a rat with a missing toe ran slowly through the pipes, trying to outrun the feeling of guilt and betrayal that sank through his stomach.

And in a house where chaos reigned, Elizabeth Potter sobbed quietly in the corner of a dark room, one tiny hand pressed tightly against a bleeding wound on her lower right arm.  Her clothes were splattered with her own blood, and all Ellie could remember about the man who had cut her was the darkness in his unforgiving eyes, and the mocking laughter that had come when her blood had touched his lips for the first time.  She sat in her corner, terrified while her entire future was being decided by men and women who'd been corrupted by power and violence.

---

Reuploaded for two sentences of change.  If you missed it, Voldemort cut Ellie's arm and taunted Lily about it.


	3. The DeathEaters

CHAPTER THREE: THE DEATH-EATERS

There was panic within the massive property that Voldemort had been using as his headquarters.  Since the fall of Voldemort, people had been naming names, giving evidence against each other and betraying the oaths they'd taken when they'd been marked as servants of the Dark Lord.  

Of the three hundred and fifty-two strong group of Death-Eaters, only five of them remained un-named.  One hundred and ninety-three of them had already been caught and put in Azkaban, some with trial, and some without.  Forty-nine were dead and buried.

Thirty-six of them had fled the country, which left only seventy-four of the Death-Eaters.  Severus Snape was amongst them, watching the chaos, trying to discover whatever else he could find out about the disbanding group.  

Lucius Malfoy, one of the highest-ranking Death-Eaters was panicking, though his calm outward appearance showed nothing of the sort.  None of the Death-Eaters had been expecting Voldemort's reign to end so abruptly and without warning.  

"What do we do now?" one of the panicked voices in the throng of people asked.

"We need to flee before the Ministry discovers us!" another voice answered.

"Coward!" others yelled in response.

"QUIET!" Lucius yelled loudly, getting the attention of the remaining Death-Eaters.  "No one is fleeing.  Not a single one of you. Our Lord left us no instructions of what should happen if the worst was to happen.  We need to decide on a new leader."

"We need to try and restore our Lord!" one of the voices yelled.

There was a murmur after that suggestion, and Lucius bristled, though he dared not say anything against the suggestion.  

"It's only a matter of time before the Ministry finds us," another said.  "We must be prepared."

"Those who aren't named should collaborate!" one of the un-named suggested.  "We can freely search for ways to restore the Dark Lord."

Lucius again looked uncomfortable.  He knew he was among the list of named Death-Eaters, and he wasn't looking forward to the trial.  His bank account would take a substantial hit to buy his way out, but it would be possible.  The Ministry of Magic was almost as corrupt as the Death-Eaters themselves were.

"Yes!" another of the un-named said.  "We can continue with the plans our Lord wanted carried out."

"Such as?" Lucius asked silkily.

Four of the five un-named Death-Eaters were grouped in a cluster.  They were desperately frightened that the others would betray them at the trials, and they would have done anything to stop that from happening.

"The girl!" one of them cried out.  "Our Lord wanted her to be brought up in the ways of the Death-Eaters."

Severus perked up at the mention of the girl.  And while it may have been too late to return her to her parents, it meant that there was a chance to get the child back.  All he had to find out was where the child was being kept.

Before anything more could be said, all hell broke loose as dozens of Ministry Aurors burst into the room.  In the confusion of the battle, two of the un-named Death-Eaters made a break for it.

Evan Rosier and Benjamin Zabini made a run for it, dodging curses and keeping their faces hidden as they raced through the halls of the manor, a single Auror on their tail.

A sudden and sharp shriek came from one of the rooms off the corridor, and Ben knew exactly what it was.  He raced to the door that held the young Elizabeth Potter and unlocked it with a quick spell.  Rosier looked at him incredulously.

"You're taking her?" Rosier asked.

"I can't leave her here!" Ben argued, though he didn't know why.  He justified himself by saying that if it was his own two-year-old daughter he would have wanted her looked after as well.

Rosier just shook his head and continued racing down the corridor.  Ben closed the door and listened as the Auror followed Rosier to the end of the corridor.  He heard a duel happening, and saw a flash of bright green light flicker under the door.  One of them had died, and by the sounds of the footsteps running back to the main room, he would bet that it was Rosier who had lost the battle.

There was a soft tug at the sleeve of his robes and Ben looked down to see a beautiful child with blonde hair and bright green eyes staring up at him.  He felt something tug on his heartstrings and he crouched down so that he was eye-level with her.

"Are you from da Min'sty?" she asked, her voice soft, innocent and terrified.

Ben picked up the small girl and nodded.  "I'm going to take you somewhere safe."

"Back to mamma and da?" she asked.

Even though Ben was a father to a little girl who was Elizabeth's age, he had very little experience in handling children.  Especially a child that he was about to blatantly lie to.

"Your mamma and da asked me to look after you," he said softly.  "Now, I need you to be extra quiet.  There're a lot of bad men out there who want to hurt you."

"You mean Voltywart?" 

Ben almost chuckled at the mispronunciation of the name, before remembering that he had been one of Voldemort's followers.  He was _not _someone who betrayed his Lord.  He had the mark at the crook of his elbow to prove it.  Just because he didn't want to be amongst those that were named didn't mean he wasn't loyal to the Dark Lord.

"No…"  

And it was in that split second that Ben knew exactly how he was going to gain the absolute trust of this girl.  He knew exactly how he was going to teach this girl to hate muggles and mudbloods, and to grow in the way of the Death-Eaters.

"Voldemort took you away from your mamma to protect you," he explained.  "A very bad man named Albus wanted you dead.  Do you know what death is?"

"When people go t'live with the angels?" Ellie asked quietly.

Ben nodded.  "Your mamma and da have gone to live with the angels Elizabeth.  Albus killed them, and he wants to kill you.  So I need you to be really, really quiet so I can get you out of here, okay?"

"'tay," she whispered, pantomiming zipping her mouth closed.  

Ben almost smiled, but refrained.  Ellie buried her head in the man's shoulder as he opened the door and quickly checked for Aurors.  When he realised that no one was coming after him, he fled the premises and disapparated quickly, the small girl in his arms.

------------------------

"Oh, Ben, thank Merlin, you're back," Ben's wife gushed.  She stopped suddenly when she saw the small girl in her husband's arms.  "Who is that?"

"Ellie," the small girl replied before Ben could say anything.  "My mamma and da live with the angels."

"She's the Potter girl, Bel," Ben explained.

Belinda Zabini frowned.  While she may not have had the mark of the Death Eater burned onto her skin, she supported her husband in everything.  She was a pureblood witch, and a Slytherin at heart.  The only reason she'd never joined the Death-Eaters was because she had her daughter to look after.  She believed in what Lord Voldemort believed in.  She believed that purebloods should reign.

"What exactly were you planning to do with her?" Belinda asked.

Ben shrugged and put the girl on the ground.  She immediately toddled over to Bel and looked up at her, her eyes wide and frightened.  Belinda bent down and picked the small girl up.

"Does your mamma live with da angels too?" Ellie asked.

Belinda nodded.  "She does."  

"Oh…will you…will you be my new mamma?" 

------------------------

Two-year-old Blaise Zabini couldn't sleep.  Something had woken her up, but she didn't know what.  With great caution she clambered out of her bed, regardless of the child-safety guarantee that had come with the cot.  She was a Zabini after all, not some block-headed muggle child without a bit of common sense.

She began the short trek to her parents room.  It was one door down, but something caught her attention.  The door to the spare room was cracked open, and the light on the bedside table was on.  There was a small lump in the bed, and Blaise was a naturally curious child, going through the rebelliousness that came with being two-years-old.  She crept inside and hoisted herself onto a chair before clambering onto the bed.

The sudden jostling of the bed awoke the small figure beneath the covers, who was all but lost in the massive bed that was meant for someone at least six times her size.

She opened her eyes and saw a pair of brown eyes staring back at her.  The brown eyes belonged to a pretty girl with dark brown hair that sat dead straight, a part in the middle of her hair. 

"Hi," she said cheerfully.  She loved meeting people, and even though the last month had been full of new people who were incredibly mean to her, she just _knew_ that someone her own age couldn't possibly be mean.

"Lo," Blaise replied, staring at the other girl.  "Who're you?"

"Ellie.  Who're you?" she echoed.

"Blaise."

"Blaise…s'pretty.  I like it."

"Ellie's a pretty name too…scept…"

"Scept?" Ellie prompted.

"Doesn't start with t'right letter."

Ellie looked confused.  "Letter?  S'at?"

"Mum's name and dad's name and my name…they all start wit' 'b'.  D'ya have any b's in your name?"

"B?  Uh…name's Elizabeth.  No b's," she said sadly.

"Silly!" Blaise said laughing.  "Bef starts with 'b'."  Blaise was endlessly fascinated by the letter B.  Her parents had often explained that all their names started with the same letter.  

"Beth," Ellie corrected her, stressing the 'th'.  

Blaise unfortunately was still getting used to pronouncing words properly.  "S'what I said.  Bef.  Beffy."

"Beffy?"

"Beffy, Biffy, Buffy…haha, Buffy!  S'what I can call you!"

Ellie grinned, enjoying the enthusiasm from the other girl.  She was starved for company, and even if the girl had just given her a strange new name, she wasn't about to complain.  She missed her brother, and she desperately needed a friend.

"Wanna be friends?" Ellie asked.

"Nope," Blaise replied.

Ellie's smile fell, and Blaise was quick to rush to explain.  

"You start with 'b' now…we can be sisters."

----

So, who can tell I'm the youngest and haven't grown up around younger kids before?  *grins* (I don't like young kids all that much, so I know crap all about them.  Maybe wizarding kids are extra bright or something.)

Someone asked about Dumbledore knowing that Peter was the Secret Keeper instead of Sirius cos of the conversation in the last chapter…just to clear things up, Dumbledore was no where near James and Sirius when they were talking about it.  The only people who knew that the Secret Keeper was to be Peter was James and Sirius (and Peter obviously).  

So…feedback is always wonderful!!  

Oh…and the Scoobies will show up eventually, I swear.  

Toodles.

DKG.


	4. The Muggle

CHAPTER FOUR: THE MUGGLE

"Wait, wait, you want us to go where?" Buffy yelled angrily.

Ben Zabini ran his hands through his hair, feeling completely frustrated.  His 'daughter' was more stubborn than he was, which was saying something.  

"To Hogwarts," Ben replied slowly, for the third time in two minutes.

"Where Albus Dumbledore teaches?" Buffy asked.

"Yes," Ben replied.

"The man who started the war?  The one who destroyed absolutely everything that you worked for?" Buffy asked.

"You do have to admit that it seems a little strange," Blaise commented.

One of the wonderful things about wizarding children not going to school until they were eleven meant that their parents could raise them in whatever way those chose to.  Which also meant that any Death-Eater who was a parent had raised their children to believe that they, as purebloods, were superior to anyone who was mudblood, muggle, or a blood-traitor.  

Benjamin and Belinda Zabini had raised Blaise and 'Buffy' to believe the very same thing.  The girls believed that Dumbledore had started the war, that he'd been in the wrong, that he'd been trying to eliminate the Death-Eaters who were just trying to create a Utopia where witches and wizards could have their own world that muggles would never have to know about.

Benjamin Zabini had manoeuvred himself into a Ministry job, and had managed to falsify the records of his family.  He'd managed to magically make the wizarding world believe that he had two daughters, even though they looked nothing alike.  He'd managed to create records about Beth 'Buffy' Zabini, who was the younger of the two girls.  Anyone who took too much notice would realise that Buffy was only five months younger than Blaise.  

The beautiful thing about children is that if you tell them something often enough for a long enough period of time, they'll begin to believe it.  Buffy had been two-years-old when she'd been taken from her real parents, and by the time Ben had found her, she'd been desperate for any sort of love.  She'd latched onto Ben and Belinda as parents, and Blaise as her sister.  Her memories of her real family had completely faded over time, and she truly believed herself to be part of the Zabini family.  She may not have looked like her mother, or her father, or even her sister, but she definitely had the attitude of a Zabini.  

"You need to learn magic," Ben explained.

"Why can't you teach us?" Blaise asked.

"You need to learn it properly.  You'll never get a job in the wizarding world without a proper education."

"What, they're aren't any other magical schools?" Buffy asked.

"Nowhere nearby," Ben admitted.

Buffy rolled her eyes and looked to her sister.

"Reckon we'll last seven years with a maniac for a Headmaster?" Buffy asked.

"It's a bit of a stretch," Blaise replied.

"Could be fun," Buffy added.

"Lots of students to torture."

"Could be good for our social lives."

"Plus there'll be boys," Blaise said.

Buffy scoffed and rolled her eyes.  "Who needs boys?"

Ben Zabini sighed thankfully.  He'd moulded the two girls into the perfect Death-Eater's daughters.  He'd taught them the importance of secrecy when it came to Voldemort.  He'd taught them to never discuss who their parents were.

He'd explained everything about Hogwarts.  He explained how Slytherin was the house that they would be suited to.  How it was the house that both he and Belinda had been in, and that they'd be well looked after in that house, both because of their last name, and because Slytherins looked out for each other.  It was the house to be in if they wanted to get by.

"We'll get to go shopping though," Buffy said.

"Ooo, new clothes," Blaise grinned.

Ben rolled his eyes.  "Your mum can take you into Diagon Alley tomorrow."

------------------------

Belinda Zabini took her two daughters into Madam Malkin's Robes For All Occasions and let the girls run wild.  There was no point in trying to get them to curtail their enthusiasm.  She wasn't sure where their love of shopping had come from, but Belinda was fairly certain that it had originated with Buffy.  Blaise had just followed suit.

Belinda had to admit that she was nervous about sending the girls to Hogwarts.  She knew what Hogwarts taught their students, and she could only hope that they'd be placed within Slytherin.  The other Houses tended to teach a freer way of thinking in regards to muggles and halfbloods.  It wasn't something that she wanted anyone to teach her daughters.  They were a pureblood family, and that was something to be proud of.

It took almost an hour to get both girls fitted for their uniforms, as well as some casual clothes for everyday wear.  They left their parcels with Belinda before racing into the bookstore, leaving their mother behind, laughing slightly at their playful mood.  Neither of the girls cared what they shopped for, as long as they got to spend money.

As they entered Flourish and Blotts and split up, their letters in their hands.  They had a system worked out.  They split up the list of books in half, and grabbed two copies of each before swapping so that they had a full set each.

Buffy turned a corner quickly, and accidentally bumped into a taller girl who fell to the floor, dropping her books.

"Merlin, I'm so sorry," Buffy said quickly, dropping to her knees and helping the girl pick up her books.

"It's alright," the girl replied softly.  "Are you a First-Year as well?"

Buffy nodded.  

"Aren't you just completely excited to be going to Hogwarts?" the bushy haired brunette girl asked.  "I've read absolutely everything I could get my hands on about the school, and it sounds so fascinating don't you think?  The Professors are all meant to be some of the most talented witches and wizards in all of England."

Buffy grinned, finding the girls run-on sentences to be completely adorable.  She had an innocence about her that Buffy had never seen before.  Though she'd never seen that innocence because of who she'd grown up with.  Even at the tender age of eleven, Buffy and her older sister Blaise had a somewhat cynical world-view already.  But the babbling girl hadn't been touched by that same bitterness that the Zabini girls had grown up with.  The small blonde girl couldn't help but be fascinated by it.

She stuck her hand out for the bushy-haired girl to shake.  "Buffy Zabini," she introduced herself.

"Hermione Granger."

"Granger…I've never heard that name before.  Who're your parents?" Buffy asked curiously.

"Oh, they're dentists," Hermione replied.  "Nobody in my family's magic at all, it was ever such a surprise when I got my letter, but I was ever so pleased, of course, I mean, it's the very best school of witchcraft there is, I've heard."

Buffy stared at the girl, not sure which worried her more.  The fact that she'd managed to say the entire sentence in one breath, or that she was muggleborn.  It was…disappointing for some reason.

"You're muggle," Buffy said.

Hermione nodded and Buffy frowned.  The brunette girl with bushy hair and slightly large front teeth noticed the frown and felt her natural curiousity peak.

"Is that…is that a bad thing?" Hermione asked apprehensively.

Buffy couldn't help but feel guilty for putting the look of sadness on the other girl.  She couldn't explain it, but she didn't want to see the girl frowning.  

"No," Buffy lied.  "But uh…I should go.  My sister, y'know.  She'll be worried if I'm gone too long."

Hermione nodded, feeling a little easier, not recognising the lie for what it was.  She'd been taught to believe the best about everyone, and she couldn't believe that the small blonde girl could be anything but nice.

"It was nice to meet you," Hermione said sincerely.

"You too," Buffy replied, hating that she honestly had enjoyed meeting the girl.  

"See you at Hogwarts then."

-----

Sorry for the delay in posting.  Been a lazy bugger lately, plus I've got a crapload of assignments and stuff.

Many thanks for your feedback, both positive and negative.  

Toodles.

DKG.


	5. The Train

CHAPTER FIVE: THE TRAIN

Ben, Belinda, Blaise and Buffy stood on Platform Nine-and-Three-Quarters, Blaise and Buffy's trunks already in the luggage compartment.  The girls were hugging their parents tightly while Ben and Belinda gave them last minute advice on what to expect and telling them to behave.  

Buffy stepped away from her father and glanced around the train station.  She spotted Hermione's bushy head of hair and wanted nothing less than for Hermione to wander over and say hello while she was with her parents.  She knew how her family would react, so, she did the only thing she could.  She launched herself at her father once more, burying her face in his stomach until she was sure that Hermione had passed by without seeing her.

"We should get on the train or we won't find a seat," Blaise said impatiently.

Buffy pulled away from her father and followed her sister onto the train.  Blaise had been right about not finding a seat.  Most of the compartments were full, but they finally managed to find an empty one.  They sat beside each other, Blaise at the window seat and Buffy closest to the door.

"Do you think there'll be a lot of other DE kids?" Buffy asked.

Blaise shrugged slightly.  "I suppose so.  Dad said there were about three-hundred and fifty DE's."

Buffy nodded and looked out the door's window, watching as people walked past.  The door opened and three boys poked their heads in.

"Who're you lot then?" he asked, not even bothering with the niceties.

Buffy jumped to her feet, already disliking the pale boy with platinum blonde hair and silver eyes.  Blaise followed suit, and stood beside her sister.

"Zabini," Blaise replied.  "Blaise and Buffy."

The blonde boy nodded approvingly.  "We can sit in here then," he said.

Buffy scoffed and put a hand on the boy's chest to stop him from entering their compartment.

"I don't think so," she said.  "See, Blaise and I really don't like rude people and well…"

"You're a rude person," Blaise finished.

"I mean you could have at least introduced yourself," Buffy said.

"And your two little friends," Blaise added.

The two 'little' friends bristled at being called little.  They were each a head taller than the pale blonde boy, and nearly two heads taller than Buffy.  Blaise was half a head taller than her sister and had never really stopped to wonder why.

"Malfoy," the blonde boy said.  "Draco Malfoy."

Blaise's eyes lit up.  "Malfoy," she said.  She recognised the name.  "Make yourselves at home."

"Who're your minions?" Buffy asked.

"Oh, this is Crabbe and Goyle," Draco replied carelessly.  He was busy sizing up the two Zabini girls.  "You're both First Years?" 

Buffy and Blaise nodded.  "You?" Blaise asked.

Draco nodded.  "So the two of you are twins then?" he surmised.  "You look nothing alike."

That was true.  Buffy had honey-blonde hair that had a natural wave to it, while Blaise's hair was straight as a wand and the colour of dark chocolate.  Buffy had bright emerald-green eyes, while Blaise's were a deep brown that matched her hair.  Blaise was half a head taller than Buffy and had a heavier build.  That wasn't to say that Blaise was overweight, just that Buffy was incredibly petite.

They both just shrugged nonchalantly.  They didn't care what they looked like, they were sisters and that was that.  

"Just sisters," Blaise explained.

"Not twins," Buffy finished.

"So, what house do you think you'll be in?" Draco asked.

"Slytherin of course," the two girls replied simultaneously.

"You?" Blaise asked.

"I know I'll be in Slytherin.  All my family have been – imagine being in Hufflepuff, I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?" Draco asked.  "Although, it'd be better than Gryffindor I suppose."

"You never even get a _little_ tired of hearing yourself speak, do you?" Buffy asked.

Draco bristled and his cheeks tinged a slight pinkish colour.  Blaise hid her grin behind her hand, and the two boys on either side of Draco clenched their fists and cracked their knuckles threateningly.

"Look, they're like trained gorillas," Blaise said, looking between Crabbe and Goyle.  "That's so cute."

Buffy was trying to stem off a giggling fit and Malfoy was trying not to let a smile crack his cool exterior.  His lips curved upwards as he realised that, yes Crabbe and Goyle did look like trained gorillas, and that Blaise was really quite cute when she was giggling.

Draco Malfoy's first year at Hogwarts was starting to look up after all.

------------------------

Several compartments down, a black-haired boy with bright green eyes, glasses and a famous lightening-shaped scar chatted easily with a gangly redheaded boy, eating sweets and swapping the cards from their Chocolate Frogs.  

A bushy-haired girl with slightly large front teeth entered the compartment, helping a short and stocky boy look for a toad.  

"I'm Hermione Granger, by the way, who are you?"

"Ron Weasley," the redhead muttered.

"Harry Potter," the black haired boy replied.  

"Are you really?  I know all about you, of course – I got a few extra books for background reading, and you're in _Modern Magical History_ and _Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts_ and _Great Wizarding Events of the Twentieth Century_."

"Am I?" Harry asked, feeling dazed.

Everything had happened so quickly for Harry Potter.  Only two months ago he'd been a perfectly normal ten-year-old.  Or, he thought he'd been normal.  He'd been living with his aunt and uncle and his cousin.  Although the term 'living with' probably wasn't really the correct term.  His 'bedroom' was a cupboard under the stairs, and he was constantly ignored when he wasn't being pushed to do practically all the chores around the Dursley household.  

Only two months ago, he'd had no clue that his parents had died in a fight against a dark wizard.  He'd thought that they'd been killed in a car accident, and that's where his lightening-bolt shaped scar had come from.  Now he knew better though.  It was strange to think that nearly every person in the wizarding world knew his name, when he knew nothing about the world in which his parents had grown up within.

The only thing he even had left of his parents was a silver chain with a pendant of a lion on it.  He'd asked his aunt and uncle about it, but as with everything relating to his parents, they'd never answered him or dodged the question.  He'd never discovered the significance of the pendant, nor why he had it in the first place.  He'd never taken it off though, and he had no plans to ever remove it.  He wondered if it was some sort of magical talisman or something, but immediately dismissed the idea.

Two months ago, he'd never even have thought of anything like that.  It was frightening and exciting all at the same time, and Harry couldn't help but think that this was all some sort of fantastic dream that he was going to wake up from at any moment.

Thankfully, he was still dreaming it, if it was in fact a dream.  He hoped that he never awoke if that was the case.

----

Another short chappie.  Many thanks for your feedback, you guys rock!  
Toodles.

DKG.


	6. The Sorting

CHAPTER SIX: THE SORTING

The First Year students were led through the Great Hall in between two of the House Tables. Buffy and Blaise stood close to each other, Draco, Crabbe and Goyle behind them. Buffy noticed Hermione Granger several people in front of her, and Buffy used her short stature to her advantage, ducking behind a taller student when Hermione turned to glance at her fellow First Years.

They gathered at the front of a long table that stretched across the width of the Hall, while four other tables ran down the length of it. Students were seated along the four tables, while the top table was filled with Professor.

Most of the First Years were staring up at the ceiling. Buffy heard Hermione whisper to anyone willing to listen: "It's bewitched to look like the sky outside, I read about it in _Hogwarts: A History_."

Buffy grinned. She had to admit that the girl had an unwavering enthusiasm about everything. And she didn't seem so bad for a muggle. She had a cute tendency to ramble on about anything and everything when given half a chance.

Professor McGonagall placed a stool in front of the gathered group of First-Years. She then placed a tattered hat on the seat of the chair. The entire Hall went silent, and the First Years watched in amazement as the Hat suddenly burst into song.

Buffy stared at it, her eyebrows raised in amusement. She grinned at her sister who grinned back. They'd seen magic before, but this was definitely something different. When the Hat had finished its song, the entire Hall burst into applause.

"When I call your name, you will sep forward, put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," McGonagall explained. "Abbott, Hannah!"

Buffy and Blaise sighed, and then grinned at each other. There was always a downfall to having a last name beginning with 'Z'. It was going to be a long wait.

"Bones, Susan." "Boot Terry." "Brocklehurst, Mandy." "Brown Lavender." "Bulstrode, Millicent." "SLYTHERIN!"

"Makes you almost wish we weren't going to be in Slytherin," Buffy whispered to Blaise, pointing to the pug-faced girl who trotted happily towards the Slytherin table. Blaise snorted with laughter and tried to inconspicuously turn it into a coughing fit.

Buffy grinned when she saw the normally unflappable girl turn a bright shade of red when she realised that most of the students were now looking at her. She glared at Buffy who just winked at her.

"Finch-Fletchley, Justin." "Finnigan, Seamus." "Granger Hermione."

Buffy perked up at the name. She knew that the girl wouldn't be –couldn't be- sorted into Slytherin. Only purebloods were placed in that house, and Hermione was definitely muggle-born. But if she was in Ravenclaw, then Buffy wouldn't be too worried about speaking to her. That's how the Slytherins worked. Slytherin, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff then Gryffindor.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

Buffy cursed softly, but Blaise didn't hear it.

"Longbottom, Neville." "MacDougal, Morag." "Malfoy, Draco." "SLYTHERIN!"

"Nope, I still want to be in Slytherin," Blaise whispered.

"Blaise!" Buffy whispered back. "You're eleven for Merlin's sake."

"So?" Blaise countered.

Buffy had no argument for that, so she shrugged and went back to watching the Sorting.

"Potter, Harry."

The entire Hall suddenly went silent at the familiar name. Everyone watched the black-haired boy self-consciously walk up to the stool. Buffy looked at him, wondering why he looked so familiar. She shrugged it off easily. She'd grown up hearing the name Harry Potter even though she'd never seen a picture of what he looked like. It wasn't a name that was well-liked in her family, and Buffy knew that Harry Potter was the reason the Dark Lord had fallen.

"GRYFFINDOR!"

"Turpin, Lisa." "Weasley, Ronald." "GRYFFINDOR!"

"Zabini, Blaise."

Buffy squeezed her sister's hand as Blaise walked up to the stool. She placed the hat on her head and sat down.

"SLYTHERIN!"

Buffy grinned at her sister who began walking slowly to the Slytherin table, wanting to wait for Buffy to be sorted into Slytherin before sitting down.

"Zabini, Beth."

Buffy breathed in deeply, placed the hat on her head and sat on the stool.

"Elizabeth, eh? Hmmm…a lot like your sibling really. Courage, bravery, talent and plenty of it. A nice thirst to prove yourself…Ohhh…a spark of darkness as well," the Hat whispered, tickling the hairs on her neck. "But where to put you my dear…"

"In my family's house," Buffy thought quickly.

"You're certain?"

"Yes!"

"Alright then…GRYFFINDOR!"

Buffy jumped off the chair and looked at the Hat incredulously. Her gaze then immediately found Blaise's, and her sister was looking as shocked as she felt. Buffy felt someone place a hand on her shoulder, and she turned to see Professor McGonagall steering her towards the Gryffindor table. Still in shock, she took her seat beside Hermione Granger, not even registering the sound of Hermione's voice as the muggle-born witch congratulated her on being placed in Gryffindor.

Blaise was still staring at her sister in shock. The Hat had to have been wrong.

Buffy's hands were shaking. In fact, her entire body was shaking. Why hadn't she been placed in Slytherin? That's where she'd asked to go. With the rest of her family. The Hat had agreed. Why would it have placed her in Gryffindor? And why had it called her Elizabeth, when her name was just Beth? It didn't make any sense. She couldn't believe that she'd been separated from her sister.

As far as Buffy knew, she and her sister hadn't been apart since they were born. They did everything together, and to suddenly be ripped apart was a terrible blow.

Food suddenly appeared in front of them, and Buffy was pulled out of her shock. She met her sister's eyes and shrugged at the silent question that was written in the brown depths. Blaise was suddenly pulled into a conversation by Draco, and Buffy forced herself to look away.

"Are you alright?" Hermione asked softly, trying not to bring attention to the shaking girl who looked very pale.

Buffy just nodded and tried to smile, though it was weak. Hermione caught on quickly, realising what Buffy's problem was.

"You weren't expecting to be in Gryffindor were you?" she asked.

Buffy shook her head. "My dad's going to throttle me," she said. "He and mum were in Slytherin, and…Blaise is in there. I don't get it."

"Well…the Sorting Hat places you where you truly belong," Hermione said, her voice soft, slow and tactful.

Buffy's eyes flashed with anger. "Are you saying I don't belong with my family?" she asked in a harsh whisper.

Hermione's eyes widened with fear. She'd never seen someone her own age look so angry in her entire life. Buffy sighed as she saw and felt the other girls fear. She rolled her eyes and forced herself to let her anger go. She'd had that problem over the years. Her temper sometimes got the better of her, and she lost a lot of her control. It was something that her father hoped she would be able to work on at Hogwarts.

"Sorry," Buffy said quickly. "I'm just…it's a little…it's just not what I expected that's all."

"That's okay," Hermione replied, feeling her heart settle down.

Buffy listened half-heartedly to the conversations going on around her. Most of the boys were discussing their families and their lineage. Buffy tried not to let her nose wrinkle when she realised how many of them were half-bloods and muggle-borns. Hermione and Percy were discussing lesson plans, and Buffy suddenly found herself with the worst migraine she'd ever had in her life.

She placed her elbows on the table and started massaging her temples, making small circles on either side of her forehead.

On the other side of Hermione, Harry had asked Percy who certain teachers were, and Buffy felt her migraine leave as quickly as it had arrived. It had been a sharp stabbing pain in her mind, and then nothing at all. It was possibly the strangest thing she'd ever experienced.

-----

We'll conveniently ignore the fact that technically Beth comes before Blaise when doing an alphabetical order. Buffy _was_ originally going to stay as Elizabeth Zabini, but it didn't work properly, so it got changed, and it doesn't work if Buffy gets sorted first, so…just re-arrange the alphabet for my sake, kay? Pretend its an age thing when it comes to siblings in the same year, kay? And no doubt if I hadn't mentioned it, you wouldn't have noticed it, eh?

Someone also asked about the blonde hair issue. Go back and check out your Philosopher's/Sorcerer's Stone books. Petunia Evans-Dursley and Dudley Dursley are both blonde, and related to Lily. It could very well run in the family.

As for the pairing…strangely enough, there actually really isn't a pairing. There's a hinting towards a pairing, but as far as I've decided, it's not actually going to happen. Sorry. Many thanks for all yoru reviews, you people rock! BTW, I reuploaded chapter two for some slight differences, so you may wanna check it out. Very slight, hardly any difference, but it'll become clearer towards...oh, around chapter twenty. ;)

Toodles.

DKG.


	7. The Meeting

CHAPTER SEVEN: THE MEETING

Two weeks into his First Year at Hogwarts, Harry Potter actually awoke early for once. It was strange to consider that he was a naturally late sleeper when he'd always been up at the crack of dawn to do the Dursley's bidding. Now he could actually sleep in until at least eight thirty. Any later than that and he was late for class. It was a luxury he'd never had before.

But, for the first time since arriving, he was once again up with the sun. He considered just laying there for the next two hours, but when he heard a particularly loud snore coming from Ron, he quickly and quietly dressed and went down to the Common Room.

He was surprised to see someone sitting in his favourite comfortable chair by the fireplace. Harry knew her by sight and by name, but he'd never actually spoken to the girl. Buffy Zabini. He wasn't sure what it was about her, but he'd always felt uneasy in her presence. Almost as though there was something about the girl that he should know about. But he couldn't for the life of him figure out what.

"Morning," he greeted softly.

Buffy looked up, surprised by the intrusion. She hadn't heard anyone enter, and she usually prided herself on being aware of her surroundings.

"Hey," she replied shortly.

Harry was immediately put on his guard. It wasn't the friendliest greeting he'd ever received, but it wasn't as bad as the tone that Professor Snape had used on him either.

"We've never really officially met," Harry said, taking the seat beside her.

"With good reason," Buffy replied, standing up.

Harry's eyebrows furrowed in confusion, and he too stood.

"I'm sorry?"

"You should be," she shot back.

"I'm very confused," Harry admitted.

"That's not my problem," Buffy replied.

"Uh…Buffy, I really don't know what's going on here," Harry said. He didn't know why, but he didn't want this girl angry with him.

Buffy rolled her eyes and shook her head. "No…you don't."

"You don't like me, do you?" Harry asked.

"Give the boy a sickle, he got it in one," Buffy said snarkily.

"What did I ever do to you?" he asked defensively.

Buffy just glared at him, gathered her books and fled the Common Room. Harry was left standing in her wake, trying to work out just where he'd gone wrong. He was used to that sort of attitude from any of the Slytherin students, but every one of the Gryffindors had always been nice to him. Civil at the very least. But Buffy Zabini was a mystery, and Harry wanted to solve it.

------------------------

Buffy's reason for waking up earlier than the rest of her House was fairly simple. Breakfast at Hogwarts was served from six-thirty onwards, and barely anyone usually wandered down before about seven thirty. Which meant that she had an entire hour to sit and chat with her sister at the Slytherin table before anyone else came to bother them.

"How goes life with the Gryffs?" Blaise asked taking a seat beside her sister.

"I finally met Potter," Buffy replied.

Blaise's nose wrinkled. "I bet that was thrilling."

"I've never seen anyone look that confused. It was kind of funny," Buffy said.

Blaise grinned. "Well, you need all the laughs you can get I suppose. Did mum send you a letter?"

Buffy shook her head. "Nothing yet. You?"

Blaise hesitated. She couldn't lie to Buffy even if it was to save her life. She nodded and Buffy's face fell.

"From dad too?" Buffy asked.

Blaise sighed and looked at her sister apologetically. "I'm sorry Buffy."

Buffy blinked back tears. It was hard enough being separated from her sister within the school, but not hearing anything from her parents just _hurt_.

"Did they say anything about me?" Buffy asked, trying not to sound pathetic.

Blaise shook her head and grabbed hold of her sister's hand.

"Maybe they're just…"

"Don't make excuses for them Blaise," Buffy whispered tearfully. "Just don't…I couldn't take it."

"I'm really sorry," Blaise said.

Buffy stood up, angrily brushing at her tearful green-eyes, storming out of the Great Hall. Blaise just sighed and closed her eyes, wishing, not for the first time, that Buffy had been sorted into Slytherin. It would have made life so much easier for them all.

------------------------

Buffy ran out of the Entrance Hall, pushing open the massive double doors that guarded the entrance to Hogwarts. She felt the cool fresh air hit her face and she struggled to catch her breath as her anger and sadness hit her all at once.

A bushy-haired First Year Gryffindor girl saw the dramatic exit and raced down the rest of the marble stairs and outside, racing to catch up with someone she wanted to consider a friend.

Hermione sped after Buffy, struggling to keep up with the girl. Hermione could see Buffy stumbling every few steps, but even though she was practically sobbing, Buffy was still faster than Hermione could ever hope to be.

Buffy finally made it to the lake and fell to her knees at the edge of the water. She rested her weight on her hands, dry-heaving and trying to retch up whatever was in her stomach. She felt ill and generally dirty. It wasn't a feeling she was used to, and it was definitely one she hated.

She didn't notice someone kneel beside her, but she did notice that someone had swept her hair away from her face, and was rubbing soothing circles on her back. Buffy could feel herself calming down beneath the gentle touch, and her sobs died down until it was just tears streaming down her cheeks. Her stomach still felt queasy, but she swallowed down the nauseous feeling and closed her eyes, letting the early morning sun caress her face.

"What happened?" Hermione asked softly.

Buffy didn't have the strength to think up a good lie. "My parents hate me," she whispered miserably.

"What? No, Buffy, they don't hate you…why would you think that?" Hermione asked.

"Cos they've been writing to Blaise, but not to me," Buffy replied softly. "They won't speak to me cos I'm not in Slytherin."

Hermione knew her history of Hogwarts back to front. She knew about the feud between the houses. Before the war with Voldemort, the rivalry had never been all that pronounced, but after the uprise of the Death-Eaters, it had been the Slytherins who had joined, and the Slytherin students nowadays usually had parents who were Death-Eaters.

Being placed into Slytherin was a must for the children of the followers of the Dark Lord, but Hermione had never even considered what would happen if for some reason a child was placed in another house. Especially in Gryffindor.

"I wrote so many letters to them," Buffy continued, Hermione straining to hear what she was saying, she was speaking so softly. "Everyday, I wrote a letter…and I didn't even get _one_ back…I don't understand Hermione, I don't…what did I do?"

Not for all the books in the world could Hermione answer the sobbing girls question. All she could do was continue to hold the small blonde girl and rock her quietly until she'd finally calmed herself down.

---

It gets more interesting next chapter, I assure you.

Sam-453 = I get the nitpick, but I was under the impression that only purebloods were put into Slytherin. Or is that just a fanon thing, rather than canon? Cos I know V/mort actually is half-blood, which always confused me, cos he was killing off half-bloods and stuff. Made very little sense to me how he became all kill the muggles when he was half-and-half himself. I was under the impression that only purebloods were in Slytherin, but that could just be an assumption on my part…not sure. I kinda got that impression cos of Chamber of Secrets, when Malfoy and that were all 'hurrah for purebloods'. Dunno. Eh shrugs.

Much thanks for all the feedback, you guys rock. I'll update the other two soonish, honest. Sorry for the delays and stuff…been working on new fics (someone shoot me now…)

Oh, and someone asked about teh Scoobies and slaying and stuff...the Scoobies do come into it, but not for a few more chappies. As for the Slaying, go back to James little breakdown in front of Dumbledore in chap 2 i think it is, and read it carefully. You might pick up the very subtle hint in there about Ellie/Buffy.

Toodles.

DKG.


	8. The Troll

CHAPTER EIGHT: THE TROLL

Six weeks later, Halloween was upon them.  The students were gorging themselves at the Feast celebrating the occasion.  All except for one student that was only missed by one other person.

Buffy sat at the Gryffindor table, picking at her food, looking around, waiting for Hermione to enter late.  The other two Gryffindor girls weren't much good for company, mainly preferring to sit and giggle with each other about who knew what.  Neither Buffy nor Hermione were terribly close to them.  The two Gryffindor girls were outcasts somewhat, and had latched onto each other ever since Hermione had followed Buffy out to the lake and held her while she cried.

It was that sort of thing that brought girls together, and Buffy had quickly got over her prejudice against half-bloods.  Just because Hermione's parents hadn't been a witch and a wizard didn't make Hermione any less than she was.  In fact, Hermione was a smarter witch than the entire grade combined, and had no problems with helping Buffy with learning magic. 

"Where's Hermione?" Harry suddenly asked Ron.

The redhead shrugged, but Buffy listened carefully to Neville's response.

"Parvati and Lavender said that last they saw her she was in the girls bathroom…crying."

Buffy stood quickly.  Hermione had been brilliant to her when she'd been upset, the least she could do now was find her friend and return the favour.  She raced out of the Great Hall and towards the bathroom on the ground floor.

------------------------

"Troll – in the dungeons – thought you ought to know!" Professor Quirrell's voice rang out loud and clear in the Great Hall.  He managed to make it to the end of his proclamation before passing out.

Nearly every student screamed in a panic until Dumbledore yelled for silence and then gave clear and concise orders.  When they reached the doors to the Entrance Hall, Harry quickly remembered something.  He grabbed hold of Ron.

"I've just thought – Hermione."

"What about her?" Ron asked.

"She doesn't know about the troll."

Ron bit his lip, but followed Harry down the corridor towards the bathrooms.  They heard heavy footsteps in front of them and then, even worse, they saw the massive troll dragging its feet.  It was easily twelve feet tall, its skin a dull granite grey.  It had short les thick as tree trunks with flat, horny feet.  The smell coming from it was incredible, and it was holding a huge wooden club, which dragged along the floor because its arms were so long.

"It's heading into the girls bathroom!" Harry whispered frantically.

------------------------

Buffy stood in front of Hermione who was now perched on one of the sinks, wiping at her eyes.

"You must think I'm so stupid," Hermione whispered.

"No," Buffy said forcefully.  "Not at all.  'Mione, you did the same for me, I want to help you.  We're friends, aren't we?"

Hermione nodded and ducked her head.  She hadn't had many friends at the public muggle school she'd attended, and she had to admit that having a friend was a wonderful thing.

"Yes," Hermione admitted.

"So…if you can't cry in front of your friends, who can you cry in front of?" Buffy asked.

Hermione smiled and gave a wet giggle, making Buffy grin.  Buffy wiped Hermione's face with a handkerchief, her hand lingering slightly on the girls cheek.

Hermione tried to duck her head, but Buffy wouldn't let her. 

"I look like a wet rat," Hermione pouted.

"No," Buffy replied, her voice soft and serious, her eyes softer than they'd ever been.  "You look beautiful."

Hermione looked up and saw the sincerity in her friend's eyes.  She blushed slightly and bit her lip to keep herself from grinning ear-to-ear.

A sudden and loud crash startled the girls, ruining their moment.  Buffy grabbed Hermione around the waist and pulled her off the sink, backing them up, keeping Hermione behind her.  Both girls pulled out their wands, though neither had any clue about what kind of spell could incapacitate a troll.

------------------------

Harry and Ron raced into the girls bathroom, surprised to see both Hermione Granger and Buffy Zabini backed into the far corner of the bathroom.  What surprised Harry even more than seeing the two girls together was the fact that Buffy was standing protectively in front of Hermione, keeping herself between the troll and the other Gryffindor girl. 

The troll brought its club down on one of the sinks, porcelain flying everywhere.  One of the pipes split, spraying water everywhere, and sending half a metal pipe towards the girls.  It landed at Buffy's feet, and without even thinking, she hooked her foot beneath it and kicked it up to her hands.

"Confuse it!" Harry yelled to Ron. 

The redhead grabbed a tap and threw it as hard as he could at the troll's shoulder, yelling out an insult at it.  The troll turned its attention to the boys, and without really thinking things through too carefully, Buffy took a running jump and clambered up on top of the trolls back, clinging to its neck.

The troll, completely confused as to how the small human had managed to climb onto him, tried to reach around to throw her off.  Buffy's grip was firm, but she managed to lose her wand.  She gripped the lead pipe even harder, not wanting to lose the only weapon she had left.

Ron and Harry were still throwing things at the troll, trying to get its attention away from the (crazy) girl on the creatures back.  It seemed to work as the troll soon forgot about Buffy, and concentrated on swinging its club at Harry and Ron.

Buffy managed to get into a better position, grabbing hold of one of the trolls ears, hoisting herself up to a standing position on the troll's shoulder and thrusting the pipe downwards with all of her strength, surprising herself when it lodged in the troll's brain.

The troll faltered before completely collapsing, Buffy tumbling off and landing heavily in front of Harry and Ron, groaning in pain as she felt something sharp pierce into the flesh of her stomach.

Hermione was shocked out of her terror and raced forward to her fallen friend.  She dropped to her knees, mindful of the debris from the broken taps.

"Are you okay?  Are you hurt?  What were you thinking?  You could have been killed!" Hermione said, shooting off each sentence at a rapid rate.

Harry and Ron were also on their knees, both of them in awe of what had just happened.

"Ow," Buffy whispered softly, laughing a little as she gripped Hermione and pushed herself off her stomach and toppled backwards onto her backside. 

Harry was the first to notice the blood seeping through the front of her ripped robes.

"You're hurt!" he cried, trying to gently pull the material away from the cut.  He winced as he saw a jagged piece of metal lodged in her skin, blood coming out of the wound. 

"Merlin, Zabini, what were you thinking?" Ron whispered.

"Didn't want it to hurt 'Mione," Buffy replied softly.

Before her sentence could sink in, a group of Professors suddenly raced into the bathroom.  They took one look at the group of First Years who were huddled on the floor, and then turned their gaze to the troll that lay behind them.  Professor Snape rushed past them to look at the troll, Harry keeping a close eye on his reaction to seeing the creature dead.

Professor McGonagall looked at the group, and they winced, knowing that they'd never seen her this angry.  Professor Quirrell was close behind them, looking incredibly anxious.

"What on earth is going on in here?" McGonagall demanded.

"It's my fault Professor," Buffy said softly, struggling to stand.  Hermione quickly helped her friend to her feet, careful not to jostle the bleeding wound on her stomach.

Harry and Ron gaped at the small blonde girl.  Ron had heard about the one-sided fight that Buffy had had with Harry, and he'd assumed that the girl hated the lot of them.

"Explain yourself," McGonagall said.

"I was just coming to the bathroom…I didn't know about the troll.  Hermione was already in here as well, and…Harry and Ron just came looking for us," Buffy explained.

"And the troll?" Snape growled, looking at the lead pipe that lay embedded in its skull.  "Which of you managed to magic the pipe so far in that it can't be pulled out?"

Harry, Ron and Hermione all looked to Buffy who turned to look at the troll.  There was barely an inch left of the pole sticking out the top of it's head.  The pole had been nearly a foot and a half long, and there was no way to get a good enough grip to get the pole out.

"That may have been my fault too, Professor," Buffy replied sheepishly.

"With magic?" McGonagall asked.

"Not exactly," Buffy said.

"Well, it's well and truly dead," Snape said, staring at the Gryffindor girl. 

Buffy was uncomfortable with the Potions Masters gaze, but refused to step back.  She'd just taken on a twelve-foot troll for Merlin's sake, she wasn't about to be intimidated by a greasy haired Professor who didn't understand the concept of shampoo.

"How?" McGonagall asked.

Buffy paused and Ron could no longer keep his mouth closed.

"She climbed up on its back and rammed the pipe into its head…it was wicked!" Ron gushed.

Buffy winced, hating how bluntly Ron had managed to explain everything.  Hermione saw her wince and thought it to be because of the injury to her stomach.  Buffy's fingers skimmed it, making her yelp in renewed pain, and McGonagall snapped out of interrogation mode, and quickly became a little too motherly.

"Beth, you're hurt," McGonagall said.

"S'okay," Buffy replied, the reminder of the pain in her back catching up with her.  It was strange…a moment ago she felt as though she could have taken on another troll or two, but now…her body was aching, there was a migraine making itself known again, and the world was going fuzzy.

Harry managed to catch her before she hit the ground again, and to everyone's surprise, Snape quickly took the small girl into his own arms and hurried down the corridor towards the infirmary, two Professors and three Gryffindors following frantically after him.

From that moment on, Hermione Granger, Buffy Zabini, Ron Weasley and Harry Potter became best of friends.  There were some things that you couldn't share without ending up liking each other, and killing a twelve-foot mountain troll was one of them.

----

Again, I apologise for the lack of updates.  Been nuts at uni lately, so I haven't been able to really get other stuff done.

Many thanks to everyone for reviewing and stuff, you guys are all very cool!  Muchly uplifting after the shitty two weeks I've just had.

Toodles.

DKG.

PS… note the sub-texty goodness.  There's minor flirtage between B/Hrm, but like I said a few updates ago, there's no definite pairing.  I dunno how the B/Hrm came about, but there it was, staring at me in the face…shrugs  It wasn't planned, but I reckon its kinda cute.


	9. The Truce

CHAPTER NINE: THE TRUCE

Two days after Halloween, and Buffy was ready to climb up the walls.  Madam Pomfrey, the nurse/healer had forbidden her to leave the infirmary and Buffy was getting antsy.  She'd had plenty of visitors, most of the Gryffindors, which had cheered her greatly.  She didn't think that she was very well liked within her house, but apparently saving the school from unspeakable demons meant instant popularity, which was kind of nice. 

The only Slytherins to visit had been Blaise and Draco, who were rarely seen without the other.  They were a package deal, like Blaise and Buffy used to be, but Buffy wouldn't begrudge her sister's happiness.  Besides, she had her own friends as well, and she knew that while Blaise may not have liked some of them because of their lineage, Blaise just wanted Buffy to be happy, and the Buffy wanted the same for Blaise.

Harry once again managed to wake up early, and, again because of Ron's snoring, he dressed and crept out of the dormitory.  He went down to the Common Room, but the moment he sat in his favourite comfortable chair, he was instantly reminded of Buffy.  He shot out of the Common Room quickly and raced towards the infirmary.

Buffy was awake and looked ready to make a break for it.  Harry grinned when he saw the frustrated look on her face. 

"Are you going somewhere?" he asked cheekily.

"Apparently not," she replied.  "Pomfrey decided to put full restrictions on me even though _I'm fine_."

Harry chuckled and took a seat at the side of Buffy's bed.  The blonde girl sighed dramatically and flopped back on her pillows.  Her stomach had healed well, but Madam Pomfrey was convinced that Buffy was traumatised by the experience and wouldn't let her leave just yet.

"Buffy?  Are…are we okay?" he asked. 

Buffy sighed.  They'd been at Hogwarts for two months, and her entire world had been flipped off-kilter.  Her family –excluding Blaise- had all but abandoned her, and she'd discovered that muggle-borns and half-bloods were just as nice –mostly _nicer_- than the purebloods were.  Everything she'd been taught to believe had been thrown off balance, and it confused her greatly.

"I owe you an apology," Buffy said softly.

Harry stared at her, stunned.  He'd never had anyone –_ever_- apologise to him for anything. 

"What I said to you that morning…I was wrong.  About a lot of things really, and…the only way I can justify why I said those things is because of how I was raised," Buffy said softly.  She hated apologising. It wasn't something that she was good at, and it wasn't something that was encouraged within the Zabini household, unless it was a family member that had been hurt.

"Everything's…well, changed since I came to Hogwarts," Buffy said.  "It's like my whole world's been flipped upside down, and I'm just trying to grab hold of anything familiar so I don't fall into some massive black hole."

"I think I can understand that," Harry said softly.  "The Hogwarts being a life-changing experience, I mean.  Except for me, the only black hole that ever comes up now is when I think of having to go back to the my aunt's house for the summer."

"You were raised muggle, weren't you?" Buffy asked, her voice curious, not malicious.

Harry nodded.  "By my aunt and uncle.  I have a cousin too…Dudley.  He does a wonderful impression of a humpback whale…he has the blubber for it too."

Buffy grinned and giggled slightly and Harry knew that he wanted to make it happen again.  He wasn't sure why.  He'd heard about love and romance and the like, but this was nothing like that at all.  He wasn't the slightest bit attracted to Buffy –even though he _was_ only eleven, and that sort of thing wasn't really important.  The bond he felt for her was more…he couldn't understand it.  He'd never had a family, and yet something about the way he wanted to protect this girl made it feel like a familial link.

"So…a truce then?" Buffy asked.

Harry shook his head. 

"I was hoping…friends maybe?" he asked.

Buffy grinned.  "Friends.  Sounds good."

They shook on it, and talked until Madam Pomfrey threw Harry out for disturbing her patient.

                                                     ----------------------

Christmas slowly rolled around, and Harry, Ron and Hermione all noticed the same thing.  Buffy had suddenly become quiet.  Before the troll incident, it hadn't been such an abnormal thing, but whenever she was around her friends, she always laughed and joked with them about anything and everything.  She'd been helping them research Nicholas Flamel and the Philosopher's Stone, and she'd always helped keep everyone's spirits high.  But ever since the second week of December, she'd lost her spirit.  She was quiet, and refused to say why.

A week before Christmas Break was due to start, Harry managed to wake up earlier than Buffy had, and made it down to breakfast before she got there. 

Buffy walked into the Great Hall, tired and unfocussed.  She didn't noticed Harry sitting by himself at the Gryffindor Table, so she walked over to where Blaise and Draco sat, plopping down opposite her sister.

"Merlin Buff, you look terrible," Draco said.

Buffy rolled her eyes.  "Thanks ever so," Buffy replied.

"Sorry," Draco said, having the decency to look sheepish. 

"You're not sleeping are you?" Blaise asked.

Buffy shook her head.  She'd never been able to lie to Blaise, plus, Draco, though completely tactless, hadn't been wrong.  She _did _look terrible.

"Mum and dad still haven't written to you have they?" Blaise asked, realising where the problem had stemmed from.

Buffy sighed and shook her head, refusing to look up.  Draco stayed silent, knowing that taunting the blonde girl would only cause problems in his friendship with Blaise, which was the best thing about his First Year at Hogwarts.  Blaise and Buffy were a package deal, and if Buffy hadn't been so miserable about the subject, he could have got away with teasing her.  But not while she was struggling to keep her tears at bay.

"Christmas break is in a week," Buffy said, her voice small and barely audible.  If there had been any other students in the Hall, her voice would have been drowned out completely.

"I'm not going to go home," Blaise assured her.  "Not without you."

"They expect you to," Buffy replied.

"Not without you they can't," Blaise replied.  "Who cares what house you're in?"

"They do."  She was miserable and the only cure would be some sort of sign from her parents.  "They still haven't said anything in their letters?"

Blaise shook her head sadly.  She'd questioned her parents in every single letter, begging them to write to Buffy, but never once had their parents even given Blaise any indication of why they didn't write to Buffy.

"Then will you do me a favour?" Buffy asked.

"Anything," Blaise replied without hesitating.

"I want you to go home for Christmas," Buffy said.

"What?"

"I want you to go home and find out what is going on, cos…cos-"

"Cos your eleven-years-old and you want your parents," Draco finished softly.

Buffy looked up at him, expecting to see the usual sneer on his face, but there wasn't even a trace of sarcasm anywhere. 

She nodded and stood up, not wanting to break down in front of Draco Malfoy and the other Slytherins who were entering the Hall.  She made her way over to the Gryffindor table and took a seat beside Harry.

"Alright there?" he asked.

"Could be worse," she replied, trying to shake off her depression.

"Optimism…I like it," Harry quipped.

Buffy grinned and picked at the plate full of food in front of her.  Students began trickling into the Great Hall, and Hermione took her seat beside Buffy, and Ron sat on the other side of Harry.

"Morning," Hermione greeted cheerfully.

"That's not natural for this hour of the morning," Buffy complained.

Hermione just shrugged and handed Buffy a piece of plain white paper. 

"What's this?"

"Just read it," Hermione replied.

Buffy shrugged and looked down at the letter that was addressed to Hermione.

_Dear Hermione,_

_Of course it will be all right for your friend Buffy to stay with us over Christmas.  We look forward to meeting her,_

_Love Mum and Dad._

Buffy grinned and threw her arms around Hermione, hugging the girl tightly.  Harry and Ron shook their heads in amusement, but were thankful to see a smile on Buffy's face for the first time in weeks. 

"You're a great friend, you know that?" Buffy asked softly.

Hermione just smiled and blushed slightly.  "I know you're upset about not being able to go home, but…well, I thought that maybe spending the holidays with my family and I would…"

"Hermione, I get it," Buffy assured her.  "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

----

Yeesh, that's some controversy about the choice of non-pairing.  Like I said, this fic doesn't focus on a pairing at all, it hints at B/Hrm, but never actually goes there at all.  They won't get together, trust me.  I'm not even sure how the pairing came about, except that it just popped up in a few chapters, and I couldn't leave it alone.

As for Buffy being completely straight…what show were you all watching, and did you just sleep through season three with Buffy and Faith?  lol 

Anyways, like I said, its not actually pairing focussed at all.  It hints, there's subtext, but no getting togetheryness.  Sorry to disappoint any of you who were interested in that pairing.  And it has actually been done before, but mostly just in short snippet fics, which is disappointing. 

Anyways, many thanks for all your comments and suggestions, you guys are cool.

DKG.


	10. The Holidays

CHAPTER TEN: THE HOLIDAYS

Buffy couldn't help but be excited about the upcoming holidays.  She and Hermione would be leaving early the next morning to visit the Granger's house for the next week, leaving Harry and Ron at Hogwarts with strictly instructions to look in the Restricted Section of the library for information on Nicholas Flamel.

And while Buffy may still have been upset with her family, the thought of spending two weeks with her best friend was enough to quell the anger and hurt she felt whenever she thought about her parents.

"I still don't think it's fair that we have to _research_ while the two of you are on a holiday," Ron complained.

"Life's not fair Ron," Hermione replied casually.  "Besides, just think of it as a learning experience."

Ron rolled his eyes and grabbed another bread roll off the table in front of him.  No matter how bad a mood he was in, the Hogwarts dinners could always cheer him up.

"Don't forget to do that essay for Professor Snape," Hermione advised.

Harry and Ron groaned, and Harry was about to say something, but was cut off by the sudden and insistent shriek of a single owl flying into the Great Hall.  All eyes looked up, curious as to why the owl would be delivering post during dinner when mail was usually delivered at lunchtime.

To Buffy's shock, the owl dropped the letter in front of her, and her heart caught in her throat as she recognised the handwriting on the envelope.

"Buffy?" Hermione asked softly.

"It's from my dad," she replied.

Buffy reached out, her hands trembling.  She looked up and caught her sister's gaze, which was focussed solely on Buffy, a concerned and confused look on her face.

Buffy slit the envelope open and pulled out the letter.

_Beth,_

_You are to join us for the holidays.  Blaise has the details._

_Benjamin and Belinda._

She swallowed hard.  The only time her parents ever called her Beth was when she was in trouble.  Not to mention the fact that her parents had used their full first names to sign off.  And the letter held absolutely no sign of emotion whatsoever.

All of Buffy's happiness and excitement about the coming holidays was discarded quickly.  She wouldn't be spending the holidays with Hermione after all.  She would be going home.

This was exactly what she'd wanted, but not how she'd wanted it.

She passed the short note to Hermione who frowned, disappointed that her best friend wouldn't be able to spend the holidays after all.  She'd been hoping to introduce Buffy to the muggle world, but now she'd have to change all of her plans.

"This is good, right?" Hermione asked.  "I mean, they want you to go home for Christmas."

Buffy nodded, but she still wasn't sure.  All she could do was wait and find out what exactly fate had in store for her this time.

------------------------

The train ride back to King's Cross Station was completely silent in the Zabini compartment.  Buffy was fiddling and unable to sit still, and Blaise just kept watch of her sister, completely unsure about what would happen. 

Buffy breathed in deeply when the train came to a halt at the station.  Blaise squeezed Buffy's hand supportively, and flashed the blonde girl a quick grin.

"It'll be okay Buffy," Blaise assured her. 

Buffy just nodded, too nervous to say anything.  She was fighting back a panic attack, and was trying desperately not to follow her urge to stay on the train and just go back to Hogwarts. 

She followed Blaise off the train and quickly located their parents, whose expressions revealed nothing to the Gryffindor girl.  Blaise and Buffy approached cautiously, and still their parents showed no emotion.  They exchanged polite hello's, before Ben explained that they would be apparating back home, Belinda with Blaise and Ben with Buffy.

Belinda took Blaise's hand, and the two of them vanished from the station.  Buffy forced herself to meet her father's eyes and knew without a doubt that this was going to be a holiday to remember.  Just one that she probably wouldn't _want_ to remember.

Ben grabbed hold of Buffy's wrist and the Station completely disappeared.

------------------------

Buffy stumbled a little and looked around the unfamiliar room.  It was cold and dark, and Buffy knew that her father hadn't taken her back to the Zabini Manor. 

"Where are we?" Buffy asked softly.

"You do not ask questions," Ben hissed softly.  His grip tightened on her wrist and she winced in pain.  "It is bad enough that you were placed within _Gryffindor_, but I will _not_ have you defy me further."

Buffy barely managed to hold her tongue, desperate to point out that it wasn't as though she hadn't _wanted_ to be in Slytherin.  The Sorting Hat had just placed her in Gryffindor.

Ben led her through a series of corridors, his grip still firm on her wrist as he took the many twists and turns, his stride confident.  He knew where he was going.  They stopped suddenly and Buffy noticed two black-robed men with white masks hiding their faces. 

She went to step back, but Ben held her firmly in place.

"This is the girl?" one of them asked.

"Yes, I see the resemblance," the other said, stepping closer to Buffy and running a hand through Buffy's hair and forcing her to tilt her head upwards.

"You will make a wonderful Death-Eater, my dear girl," the man in front of her said softly, his hand still on Buffy's cheek.  "You just need the proper…discipline."

Ben let go of Buffy's wrist, and the blonde girl cradled it against her chest protectively, rubbing her arm to try and get her circulation flowing again.

"I'll leave her in your capable hands then," Ben said.

Buffy couldn't help but react o that.

"What?!  No!  Dad!"

Ben suddenly grabbed her by her shoulders, shaking her roughly.

"Do you realise what a disgrace you are to my family?" he asked, his voice soft, harsh and terrifying.  "Not _once_ has there been someone in Gryffindor, until _you_.  Not once have I had to bear the shame that comes with knowing my child _failed_ me."

"I…I – I'm sorry dad," she whispered, tears in her eyes.  "I didn't _want_ to be in Gryffindor…I asked the hat to put me with my family, I swear I did!"

Ben paused at that, but his grip on Buffy didn't waver.

"You are to do as Lucius and Dominique tell you.  You are to learn your place within my family," Ben instructed.  "You are to learn proper respect for your elders, and learn the old-ways.  You have gone against my teachings while you were at Hogwarts, but I won't allow that anymore. I have been too lenient with you, my girl, and that will no longer be the case."

"Dad-"

"You will address me as 'sir' or 'father'," Ben continued.  "You _will _learn to be worthy of being a Death-Eater's child.  And you will never defy me again."

"But-"

"Is that understood Beth?" Ben asked.

Buffy felt her father's fingers dig even further into her arms, and she struggled to hold her tears at bay.  Her father _never_ called her Beth.  She'd been about seven years old before she worked out that Buffy wasn't actually her real first name.  Hearing her full name said in anger cut her to her very soul.  It was a name that had been given to her out of affection, and hearing it said in anger just _hurt_.

"Answer me!"

"Yes!" she cried, more to stop her father from hurting her further, than to actually answer his question.

"Yes what?"

"Yes father, I understand," she replied.

Ben let go of her shoulders and took a step back, satisfied with her answer.  He looked to the two masked Death-Eaters who were staring at the young Gryffindor girl, making her incredibly uneasy.

"You have your work cut out for you gentlemen."  With that, he disapparated, leaving Buffy in the hands of two unknown Death-Eaters, with no chance of escape, and no way to contact any of her friends.

She swallowed in fear and pressed up against the wall, her green eyes wide with terror as Lucius stepped forward.

"We'll show you to your room."

------------------------

That first night she cried herself to sleep.  After she'd been shown her room, Lucius and Dominique had locked her in the small space with no windows and hadn't returned.  All she had to keep her company was the thoughts flying around in her mind, and the terrifying reality that her father had left her with two Death-Eaters and nothing more.

She paced the length of the room –cell, she corrected herself- trying to work off her nervous energy.  It wasn't working.  She froze when she heard footsteps in the corridor, and even though everything inside of her was telling her to run, there was nowhere for her to go.

She heard the lock click open, and the door swung outwards, revealing the still masked men.

"You will follow us Beth," instructed one of the men.

She wanted to hesitate, but the bruises and stiffness in her arms from the shaking she'd received from her father the day before told her to pick her battles.  She was trapped, hungry and desperate to know what was going on.  She had no choice but to follow.

Lucius grabbed hold of Buffy's wrist and dragged her down the corridor, pulling her roughly into a dark room that immediately lit up with candles as soon as the door closed and locked itself behind them.  The walls were lined with books that looked sinister.  Buffy wasn't even sure _how_ a book could look sinister, but the ones lining the walls definitely did.  She held in a shudder and was forced to sit in an uncomfortable wooden chair in the centre of the room.

The two Death-Eaters stood over her, their superior height meant to intimidate her.  And it was working.

"Your father is very disappointed with you, do you realise that?" Lucius asked. 

Buffy didn't say anything, but nodded slowly.

"Your family has been shamed by you because of your actions at Hogwarts," Dominique added.  "Someone has been watching you, and you have betrayed your upbringing."

His voice sounded familiar, though Buffy couldn't pick where she'd heard it before.  She had met some of her father's friends often enough, but there was something different about this man.  This was a voice that she had heard recently.  But where?

"Tell us something Beth, do you wish to go back to Hogwarts?" Lucius asked.

Buffy felt her throat constrict.  It was an implied threat if ever she'd heard one, and the thought of not being able to go back to school terrified her. 

"Yes," she whispered.

"Then you will behave for us, won't you dear girl?" Dominique asked.  "You will listen carefully and do as you are instructed.  And if we are impressed by your behaviour, you may be able to spend a little time with your family for the holidays before you return to Hogwarts."

Buffy was having trouble processing everything that was being said.  She wanted to go back to Hogwarts, there was no other option there, but things had changed so much in the last four months.  Her entire way of thinking had begun to dissolve, and she was no longer so certain about what her family believed.

"You'll behave for us, won't you Beth?" Lucius asked.

Buffy nodded meekly, trying to keep her tears at bay.

"Excellent," Dominique said with mock cheerfulness.  "Let's get started then.  First things first, as they say.  Muggles.  And why wizards are superior to them."

---

This does not look good for our heroine!!  insert dramatic and cliché music here

Many thanks for all your feedback, you guys all rock.  Oh, and if you could all go prod Lisette for an update, that'd be cool.

Toodles.

DKG.


	11. The Return

CHAPTER ELEVEN: THE RETURN

It was amazing what two weeks with two Death-Eaters could do to an eleven-year-old child.  Threats, blackmail and emotional torture and short doses of pain were incredibly effective when all a child really wanted was to be accepted and loved by their family.

So making Beth Anne Zabini completely and utterly pliable was not exactly an arduous task.  She'd been raised as the daughter of a Death-Eater, and had only been exposed to muggles and half-bloods for four months.  And while she valued the friendships she'd made, she valued her family more.

Her father had managed to extract a solemn blood oath from the girl about whom she would and wouldn't socialise with at school.  She was forbidden from speaking with any muggle-born student unless it was a direct order from a teacher and was for educational purposes.  She was forbidden from befriending half-bloods, and blood-traitors, and could only freely speak with students who were pureblood and were either loyal to Voldemort, or _weren't_ loyal to Dumbledore.

There was nothing she could do about being placed into Slytherin, so she would just need to grin and bear it within Gryffindor, and try and 'get by' as well as she could. 

She visited with her family for one day before going back to Hogwarts, and it wasn't the joyous reunion that she'd had planned.  The only person to welcome her back had been Blaise, who had hugged her enthusiastically, and given her a belated Christmas gift.  Ben and Belinda had merely greeted her formally and sat down to a silent dinner.

Walking into the Gryffindor Common Room, Buffy had silently thanked whatever Higher Powers there were that Hermione, Harry and Ron weren't in there, and that, on arriving in her room, Hermione wasn't there either.  She changed into her pyjamas and crawled into bed, keeping her breathing steady and faking sleep when she heard the others arrive back from dinner. 

She wanted one more night where her best friend wouldn't hate her.  The coming morning was going to be painful enough, she didn't want to have to deal with the fallout that would happen when she severed her ties with the muggle-born girl. 

For the fifteenth time in fifteen days, Buffy cried herself to sleep.

------------------------

She avoided them at breakfast, getting up early, eating quickly and then going for a run around the grounds.  She avoided them in Potions, sitting with her sister.  She avoided them in DADA, again sitting with Blaise.  She avoided them at lunch, making up a bizarre question for Professor Quirrell that took nearly forty minutes for him to stutter through his answer. 

She avoided them in Herbology by 'accidentally' cutting her hand within the first five minutes of the lesson and being sent to the Infirmary.  She hated Healers, but she was willing to sit still and have Madam Pomfrey heal her rather than be in class.  She completely skipped dinner and sat down by the lake, staring at the stars and trying not to cry.

Her friends were not stupid however, and they noticed that something was wrong.

"Is it just me, or is Buffy avoiding us?" Harry asked, frowning.

"It's not just you," Hermione replied, her expression mirroring Harry's. 

"Did you hear from her over the holidays?" Ron asked.

Hermione shook her head.  "Not a word.  I wrote nearly every day, but…nothing."

"Do you get the feeling that she's not telling us something?" Harry asked. 

"I know she was worried about going home for the holidays," Hermione replied.  "Maybe something happened."

Harry, who was the only one out of them who knew what it was like to have a horrible home-life, conjured up all sorts of images in his mind about what could have gone wrong over the holidays.  But, from what he knew of Buffy's family it made very little sense.  She'd been raised in a fairly loving home, and until she'd come to Hogwarts, everything had been fine.

"I'm going to ask her," Hermione said resolutely.

Harry and Ron could only stare in shock as Hermione stood up from the dinner table and stalked out of the Great Hall, going in search of the missing Gryffindor, who had failed to even show up for dinner at all.

Hermione didn't know how she knew, but her instincts told her that her friend would be down at the lake.  She made her way slowly down the hill, spotting Buffy sitting with her knees curled up to her chest, staring at the evening sky.

Hermione approached slowly, coughing softly to announce her presence.  Buffy had known she'd been coming since she'd stepped out of the Entrance Hall, though she didn't know how she'd known that.

"Buffy?"

"Hello Hermione," Buffy replied softly.

That was Hermione's first indication that something was wrong.  Or, not really the first seeing as she hadn't been able to get a single word in edgewise to her best friend all day, but it was the first words that Buffy had spoken to her, and Buffy speaking her full name sent shivers down her spine.  Buffy _didn't_ use Hermione's full first name.  It was always 'Mione', even when Buffy had been moody.

Hermione took a chance and sat down beside Buffy. 

"Are you going to tell me what's wrong?" Hermione asked.

She could see a single tear slipping down Buffy's cheek, the crystal droplet reflecting the stars above and shining on Buffy's skin that had gone pale with the cold.

"No," Buffy replied softly.  "I'm going to tell you to stay away from me."

Hermione felt as though she'd been punched.  Her chest ached, and she could feel tears in her eyes. 

"What?  Why?"

Buffy took in a shuddering breath and stood up, Hermione doing the same, not wanting to be at a disadvantage of not being at eye-level to her best friend.

"We're not friends Hermione," Buffy said softly.  "We can never be friends.  You can tell the same thing to Harry and Ron too."

She turned her back on the girl and began walking back up to the castle, trying to keep her tears at bay.  It hurt more than she'd expected it to.  A week ago it had seemed like an easy enough task… 'cut off all contact with your mudblood and muggle-loving friends'.  The reality of it hurt so badly that Buffy had to remind herself to breathe.

Hermione raced after her and grabbed Buffy's wrist, stopping the blonde girl in her tracks.

"Why?" Hermione demanded angrily, tears falling freely.

"A Zabini must never associate with those who are inferior to them," Buffy replied.  It was a line that had been drilled into her head for the last eleven years.  It had been repeated to her again and again over the previous two weeks. 

"You don't mean that," Hermione accused.

Buffy finally met Hermione's eyes, blank emerald green meeting fiery brown in a battle of wills. 

"Yes.  I do."

Hermione dropped her friend's wrist and watched Buffy walk back up to the castle.  She collapsed to the ground in tears, sobbing for the loss of her first true friend. 

Buffy wiped the tears from her eyes and walked up the seven flights of stairs to the Gryffindor Common Room.  Harry and Ron were waiting inside for her, but she only looked at them emotionlessly and walked past them, despite their questions about what was wrong and where she had been.  They tried to follow her into the corridor towards the girls rooms, but they were thrown back by an invisible barrier.  Boys weren't allowed into the girls rooms apparently.

They could only wonder what had happened to the girl to make her so withdrawn.  But not even in their wildest imaginings could they have imagined that Buffy had been blackmailed into promising her fealty to serving a wizard who was defeated ten years before, whose cruelty couldn't even be imagined by anyone who hadn't personally experienced it.  Their best friend had practically sold her soul to the devil, all in the name of being accepted and loved by her family.

------------------------

Hermione had passed on the message to Harry and Ron, who, when they tried confronting Buffy about it, had firmly told them that she had meant what she said. They weren't her friends, and they never would be. 

Every day they continued to pester her, but to no avail.  Buffy remained firm in what she said, though she continued to cry herself to sleep at night, lonelier than she'd even been during her two week 'holiday' with Lucius and Dominique.

She kept herself busy with schoolwork, and whenever that couldn't keep her occupied, she contented herself with rearranging her collection of cards from the Chocolate Frog packets.  It was a week after the Christmas break that she found the very thing that she and her friends had been looking for.  Nicholas Flamel.

For one beautiful moment, Buffy completely forgot her breakaway from the group.  She had grinned and almost yelled for joy until she remembered the reality of the situation.  She wouldn't –couldn't- associate with her friends.  Not if she wanted to be a 'true Zabini'. 

She pocketed the Collector's Card –Dumbledore-, and walked into the Common Room.  Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting around the fireplace, talking quietly.  They went silent as they saw her approach.

Buffy wordlessly took out the card, handed it to Hermione and walked out of the Common Room.  Hermione stared after her in complete confusion, and eventually looked down at the item, trying to work out why Buffy had given it to her.

"What is it?" Ron asked.

"Collector's Card," Hermione replied.  "From the Chocolate Frogs."

"Maybe it's a message," Harry said.

Hermione flipped the card over and scanned through the blurb on the back, a grin suddenly coming to her face.

"What?" Harry and Ron asked, seeing Hermione's first genuine smile since the fallout with Buffy.

"'Dumbledore is particularly famous for his defeat of Grindewald in 1945, for the discovery of the twelve uses of dragon's blood _and his work on alchemy with Nicholas Flamel_'!" Hermione recited excitedly.  "She found him!"

Harry and Ron grinned with excitement.  Hermione suddenly shot out of her chair, yelling for the boys to stay there while she raced back up to her room.  The boys grinned at each other and Harry picked up the card reading it over.

"I knew I'd read the name somewhere before.  I read it on the train coming here," Harry said. 

"I can't believe Buffy found him," Ron said.  "Why would…I don't understand why she'd give us this if she doesn't want to be friends?"

"Girls are impossible to understand my friend," Harry replied.  "Best to just wait it out and hope that they don't bite your head off."

------------------------

The ancient study of alchemy is concerned with making the Philosopher's Stone, a legendary substance with astonishing powers.  The stone will transform any metal into pure gold.  It also produces the Elixar of Life, which will make the drinker immortal.  There have been many reports of the Philosopher's Stone over the centuries, but the only Stone currently in existence belongs to Mr Nicholas Flamel, the noted alchemist and opera-lover, Mr Flamel, who celebrated his six-hundred and sixty-fifth birthday last year, enjoys a quiet life in Devon with his wife, Perenielle (six hundred and fifty-eight).

"See?  The dog must be guarding Flamel's Philosopher's Stone!  I bet he asked Dumbledore to keep it safe for him, because they're friends and he knew someone was after it, that's why he wanted the Stone moved out of Gringotts," Hermione explained, rambling through the revelation all in one breath.

"A stone that makes gold and stops you ever dying!" Harry exclaimed.  "No wonder Snape's after it.  Anyone would want it."

------------------------

Hermione managed to corner Buffy in their dorm room as soon as Lavender and Parvati had left, leaving the two girls alone.  Buffy tried to walk out of the room, but Hermione stood in front of the door, her arms folded across her chest, a glare on her face.

"Why won't you talk to us?"  Hermione asked angrily.  "You gave us that card, you…you told us about Flamel…you can't hate us!"

"I never said I hated you Hermione," Buffy replied, her voice soft and sad.

"_What _then?"

Buffy just shook her head and moved around Hermione, leaving the brunette girl to wonder just what had happened to make her best friend so reticent.  It hurt to see Buffy like that, and it hurt even more that Buffy wouldn't confide in her.  They'd seen each other at their worst, and Hermione couldn't imagine what could have made Buffy's behaviour change so radically over the two weeks of the holidays.  Something had happened, and whatever it was, it had changed her best friend into a complete and utter stranger.

------------------------

_HG, HP & RW,_

_Burn this when you have read it.  I understand that you are upset by BZ breaking away from the three of you.  Just know that the only thing she wants more than your friendship is her family.  And for them (us) she will do anything.  If you truly care for her, please stop trying to push the issue.  Never think that she doesn't care for you.  Despite everything that we were ever taught, she cares for the three of you.  If you care, don't push, and let her stop crying herself to sleep._

The other BZ.

"The other BZ?" Ron asked.

"Blaise," Hermione replied softly. 

"She must really love her family," Harry said softly.  He'd never experienced that kind of feeling of devotion towards his family, except whenever he thought about his deceased parents.  But he couldn't imagine giving up his friends to please anyone.  It seemed unthinkable.

Ron looked slightly ill however.

"Ron?" Hermione asked, noticing her friend's pale colour.

Ron took a deep breath, trying to find the right words.  "Blaise is in Slytherin…"

"Yes?"

"And Buffy thought _she'd_ be in Slytherin, right?" he continued.

"And?"

"And…well, most of the Slytherin parents are Death-Eaters," he finished softly. 

Hermione frowned.  She knew that Ron had a massive chip on his shoulder when it came to the Slytherins, but she had to admit that some of the puzzle pieces were falling into place.

"Her parents stopped writing to her when she was sorted into Gryffindor," Hermione said softly.  "They kept writing to Blaise though."

"And seeing as this all started _after_ she visited her family for Christmas…" Harry trailed off, a sick feeling rising in his stomach.

"The Zabini's were never accused of being followers of You-Know-Who though," Ron said. 

"No…never accused," Hermione said softly.  "But that doesn't mean that they didn't follow him."

"So, her parents are Death-Eaters," Ron said.

"And she was sorted into Gryffindor," Harry said.  He could remember the hat telling him that he would have 'done well' in Slytherin.  The very thought of it had made his skin crawl, but it had eventually put him into Gryffindor.  He couldn't help but wonder what sort of a conversation the hat had had with Buffy during the sorting to make the blonde girl a Gryffindor rather than a Slytherin. 

"We have to help her," Hermione said softly.

Harry looked over the letter again, concentrating on the last few sentences.  He shook his head sadly.

"I don't think we can help her Hermione," Harry replied.  "By the sounds of things, we're hurting her even more by not letting her go."

Hermione swallowed back bitter tears of hurt and anger and closed her eyes tiredly.  She hated that Harry was right.  All she could do was let her friend go free and hope that everything worked out for the best.

----

Feeling generous today.  Free update coming right up.


	12. The Stone

CHAPTER TWELVE: THE STONE

"What was that thing you saved me from, anyway?"

"Harry Potter, do you know what unicorn blood is used for?  It is a monstrous thing to slay a unicorn.  Only one who has nothing to lose and everything to gain would commit such a crime.  The blood of a unicorn will keep you alive, even if you are an inch from death, but at a terrible price.  You have slain something pure and defenceless to save yourself and you will have a half life, a cursed life, from the moment the blood touches your lips."

"But who'd be that desperate?"

"Mr Potter, do you know what is hidden in the school at this very moment?"

"The Philosopher's Stone!  Of course – the Elixar of Life!  But I don't understand who-"

"Can you thin of nobody who has waited many years to return to power, who has clung to life, awaiting their chance?"

"Do you mean, that was Voldemort?"

------------------------

"Don't you think it's a bit odd that what Hagrid wants more than anything else is a dragon, and a stranger turns up who just happens to have an egg in his pocket?  How many people wander around with dragon eggs f it's against wizard law?  Lucky they found Hagrid, don't you think?  Why didn't I see it before?"

------------------------

"I'm going out of here tonight and I'm going to try and get the Stone first."

"You're mad!"

"You can't!  After what McGonagall and Snape have said?  You'll be expelled!"

"SO WHAT?  Don't you understand?  If Snape gets hold of the Stone, Voldemort's coming back!  Haven't you heard what it was like when he was trying to take over?  There won't be any Hogwarts to get expelled from!  He'll flatten it or turn it into a school for the Dark Arts!  Losing points doesn't matter anymore, can't you see?  I'm going through the trapdoor tonight and nothing you two say is going to stop me!  Voldemort killed my parents, remember?"

"You're right Harry."

"I'll use the invisibility cloak."

"But will it cover all three of us?"

"All – all three of us?"

"Oh come off it, you don't think we'd let you go alone?"

------------------------

"Lucky this plant thing's here really."

…

"They're not birds!  They're _keys_!  Winged keys – look carefully.  We've got to catch the key to get to the door."

…

"This isn't a graveyard…it's a chessboard.  We've got to play our way across the room."

…

"Got it!  The smallest bottle will get us through the black fire – towards the Stone."

…

"_You!_"

"Me," Quirrell said calmly.  "I wondered whether I'd be meeting you here Potter."

"But I thought – Snape-"

"Severus?  Yes, Severus does seem the type doesn't he?  So useful to have him swooping around like an overgrown bat.  Next to him, who would suspect p-p-poor st-stuttering P-Professor Quirrell?"

"But Snape tried to kill me!"

"No, no, no.  _I_ tried to kill you."

…

"_You _let the troll in?"

"Certainly.  I have a special gift with trolls.  Unfortunately while everyone else was running around looking for it, Snape, who already suspected me, went straight to the third floor to head me off – and not only did my troll fail to beat you to death, thanks to Miss Zabini, that three-headed dog didn't even manage to bite Snape's leg off properly."

…

"The mirror is the key to finding the Stone.  Trust Dumbledore to come up with something like this…but he's in London…I'll be far away by the time he gets back…I see the Stone…I'm presenting it to my master…but where is it?"

…

"Sometimes I find it hard to follow my master's instructions.  He is a great wizard and I am weak."

"You mean, he was there in the classroom with you?"

"He is with me wherever I go."

…

"Use the boy…Use the boy…"

"Look into the mirror and tell me what you see."

Harry saw his reflection, pale and scared-looking at first.  But a moment later, the reflection smiled at him.  It put its hand into its pocket and pulled out a blood-red stone.  It winked and put the Stone back in its pocket – and as it did so, Harry felt something heavy drop into his real pocket.  Somehow –incredibly- he'd got the Stone.

…

"Now…why don't you give me that Stone in your pocket?  Don't be a fool!  Better save your own life and join me…or you'll meet the same end as your parents…They died begging me for mercy…the girls cries were delicious…so much potential.  You could have them back…just say you'll join me, and you could have your family back."

"LIAR!"

…

"Seize him!"

"Master I cannot hold him – my hands – my hands!"

Harry reached up and grabbed Quirrell's face causing the Professor to scream in agony.  Quirrell tried to throw Harry off, the pain in Harry's head was building – he couldn't see – he could only hear Quirrell's terrible shrieks and Voldemort's yells of "Kill him!  Kill him!" and other voices, maybe in Harry's own head, crying "Ree!  Harry!"

He felt Quirrell's arm wrenched from his grasp, knew all was lost, and fell into blackness…

------------------------

Upstairs in the Gryffindor Tower, Lavender Brown and Parvati Patil were awoken by a loud, high-pitched scream coming from their quietest roommate.  Both girls quickly threw the bedcovers off and raced to the screaming girls side, trying to get her to awaken from whatever nightmare it was that was making her scream louder than they'd ever heard anyone else screaming.

"Get Professor McGonagall," Lavender said frantically.

Parvati nodded and shot out the door as quickly as she could, racing towards the staff quarters.

------------------------

Harry slowly drifted to consciousness, aware of two things.  One was the endings of a headache, and the other was two soft voices speaking quietly.

"You're missing class you know," Dumbledore reprimanded someone gently.

For a moment, Harry panicked.  Dumbledore didn't know about the Stone.  Then again, if the Stone had been taken, Dumbledore would have known about it, and seeing as he sounded calm, Harry wasn't really all that worried.

"Madam Pomfrey won't let me leave," the other voice replied.  Harry recognised the voice as belonging to Buffy, though he couldn't work out why she would be in the hospital wing.  "I don't see why not, I'm completely fine.  Not even a little headache anymore."

"You have them often?" Dumbledore asked.

"They've only just started this year," Buffy replied.  "Sometimes they don't last too long.  Y'know, jut a real sudden stab of pain in my forehead.  It's a little weird.  The other night was…it's never been that bad before."

"You gave Miss Brown and Miss Patil quite a fright, going into a seizure like that," Dumbledore said.  "Perhaps you should have your father take you to a Healer when you go home for the holidays."

Harry could almost hear Buffy tense at the mention of her father. 

"Perhaps," Buffy said after a long silent pause.

Harry blinked his eyes open slowly and reached for his glasses, both Dumbledore and Buffy switching their focus to Harry as he awoke.

"Good afternoon Harry," Dumbledore said.

"Sir," Harry replied.  He flashed a smile at Buffy, but she looked away and Harry forced himself not to frown.  He focussed on Dumbledore, wanting answers.

"Professor…Quirrell, he – he was after the Stone."

"He was…I never expected it of young Dominique," Dumbledore said.

Buffy breathed in sharply.  "Dominique?" she repeated, unaware that she'd even spoken until both Harry and Dumbledore were staring at her.

"You know the name?" Dumbledore asked suspiciously.

Buffy couldn't help but run over the two weeks that she'd been trying to forget.  But she'd never been able to forget them.  She could still remember the multitudes of spells that had been used to get her to remain compliant.  She'd recognised the voice of Dominique from somewhere, but she'd never been able to tell from where. 

Dominique had been Professor Quirrell…he'd just never stuttered.  He'd been completely confident, cold and cruel, and that had made all the difference.  And now that she could place a face to a name, she could hear the similarities in the voices. 

"Just a coincidence," Buffy whispered softly.  She knew it wasn't a coincidence.  It was one of the two things she had never believed in coincidence and leprechauns.

Dumbledore didn't look convinced, but he let it drop as Harry launched into a quick-fire series of questions about the Stone, Ron, Hermione, Nicholas Flamel, and how he'd managed to get the Stone out of the mirror.

Some of Harry's questions went unanswered, and he was upset about that, but there was no use arguing with Professor Dumbledore.  He was eventually allowed out of the Infirmary, and the end of term drew closer.

Exam results were given out, and the end of year feast heralded another years end.

------------------------

Hagrid passed a handsome, leather-covered book to Harry who took it with some confusion.  Harry opened it curiously and felt his mouth go dry.  It was full of wizard photographs.  Smiling and waving at him from every page were his mother and father.

"Sent owls off ter all yer parents' old school friends, askin' fer photos of yer family…knew yeh didn't have any…D'yeh like it?"

Harry couldn't speak, but Hagrid understood.  The boy silently vowed to look through it properly when he was alone so he would be able to shed the tears he knew were welling in his eyes.  He couldn't wait for the holidays.

"And if yer need answers…'bout anythin', yer know who ter owl 'bout it."

------------------------

The Gryffindor Trio sat in their train compartment, chatting with excitement about what had happened.  Gryffindor had won the House Cup due to last minute changes in the point score due to Harry, Ron, Hermione and Neville, and Slytherin were bitterly disappointed that they had had their victory pulled out from beneath their feet.

Two carriages down, Buffy sat silently, staring out the window as the scenery raced by, Blaise and Draco chatting quietly, trying not to disturb the miserable blonde girl. 

Blaise had tried to get details out of her sister about what had happened over the Christmas holidays, but Buffy had refused to speak about any of it.  And Blaise couldn't help but be worried that the same fate would befall her sister again over the summer break, and Blaise would be helpless to do anything about it.

They had grown apart over their First Year at Hogwarts, but that did nothing for their loyalty to one another.  Blaise knew that the reason Buffy wanted to be accepted by the family so badly was, in part, because of Blaise herself.  They were as close as sisters could be, and Blaise had always been grateful for the company.

Blaise could only fervently hope that nothing terrible would happen to her younger sister, and she made a silent and solemn vow to try and protect the girl from any harm.

And in Buffy's own thoughts, she was wondering much the same thing, and making the same vow in regards to Blaise's safety.  She didn't think her parents would harm their Slytherin daughter, but Buffy knew that Blaise was also fiercely loyal to her.  She sighed, and ignored the looks from Draco and Blaise, hoping that she survived the next six weeks, wishing that they would speed by so she could be safely ensconced back within the walls of Hogwarts.

----

Hope you enjoyed the double update. 

Can someone tell me, just to clear up a debate I've been having with a friend, there are so many fics out there that have Buffy wearing vanilla scented perfume.  Is that canon or fanon?  Cos I am convinced that NO WHERE in the Jossverse is it ever stated htat buffy wears vanilla.  I could be wrong though…so, opinions, facts, comments?  Feel free to weigh in.

Toodles.

DKG.


	13. The Summer

CHAPTER THIRTEEN: THE SUMMER

Two days into her stay at 'home', Buffy could feel that something was about to change within the house.  She didn't know what it was, but she knew that whatever it was, it wasn't something good.  She wasn't wrong.  The doorbell sounded loudly throughout the house after lunch, and Buffy felt her heart clench in fear.

Ben glanced quickly at Buffy before walking to the front door to let the visitor in.  The door swung open, and Buffy forced herself to stay at the table, sitting nervously, her palms beginning to sweat.  Her fingers itched to grab for the wand hidden within her robes, and she listened to the low murmur of voices, her father's and another man's.  She could tell that it wasn't Lucius, and she was grateful for that.

She swallowed nervously as her father and their visitor re-entered the room.  Buffy glanced at the visitor, a tall brown haired man with green eyes speckled with hazel.  They looked emotionless in a way that scared her tremendously.

"Beth…a word in private, if you please?" Ben asked, heading towards the door on the other side of the living room that lead to her father's study. 

She took a deep breath and stood, trying to hide her trembling and followed her father into his study, the man with the green eyes following behind her and closing the door.

"As I'm sure you are aware, your training in the old-ways was never truly finished," Ben began, taking a seat behind his large wooden desk.  Buffy remained standing while the visitor stayed near the door, ensuring that Buffy couldn't flee.

"I've found someone who will be able to continue teaching you in the ways of the true wizards," Ben explained.

"With Dominique gone, you needed someone to explain everything to you," the visitor added, his voice soft and lilted with a very refined upper class British accent.  "Any questions?"

"Will I be staying here?" Buffy asked nervously.

"No Beth, you won't," Ben replied.  "I won't have time to help you with your training, and I have business to attend to here.  Blaise will be spending several weeks with Pansy Parkinson, and your mother has more important concerns."

Buffy flinched involuntarily at the cutting comment. 

"You'll be spending the summer at my estate," the visitor explained.  "My niece will be visiting in a week or so as well, so you won't lack for company."

"I'll be getting weekly updates about your behaviour Beth, so I expect the very best from you, do you understand?"

"Yes father," Buffy replied softly.

Ben stood up, and walked towards the door, shaking hands with the visitor.

"Lucius and Dominique didn't hesitate to…help her along…with some use of magics," Ben said quietly to the visitor.  "Feel free to use whatever methods you wish to ensure she is kept properly in line."

 The visitor nodded and Ben opened the door, ready to leave the study. 

"Oh, and Ripper?  Thank you."

------------------------

As holidays went, this one was shaping up to be incredibly bad for the eleven-year-old blonde Gryffindor.  She had been tempted to mispronounce the name of the estate she was meant to be going to and just run for her life from wherever she came out of, but she'd heard the horror stories of mis-speaking when using the Floo Network.  It never ended well.

So, she had ended up in the estate of a man who called himself 'Ripper' which inspired absolutely no feelings of safety whatsoever in Buffy at all. 

Her room was a modest size, but it had a large window overlooking a massive garden, and it was equipped with a comfortable window seat as well, which she knew she would use whenever she was given the chance.

She'd been told to explore the grounds for the day, and that they'd get into the lessons portion of the holidays in he morning.  Ripper had a letter to write.

------------------------

_Dear Albus,_

_I write to you from the Manor I wished never to return to, but I was asked for a favour.  My loyalty lies completely with the Order, but I couldn't pass up an opportunity to discover just what BZ is up to.  He has asked me to tutor his youngest daughter in the 'old-ways' and I have accepted._

_His daughter is one of your students, surprisingly a Gryffindor.  I have the distinct feeling that she does not wish to be taught the old-ways, but does so only to please her family, and for fear that she will be hurt by her father.  _

_I write to you to ask for help.  She is young and impressionable, and terribly miserable.  She will do anything for her family however.  Any advice you can give is always appreciated._

_RG._

------------------------

_Rupert,_

_I admit that very few things surprise me anymore, but your letter succeeded in doing so.  The only suggestion that I have for you is to teach her the history of the old-ways.  Give her the facts, and not the opinions that are associated with them.  I know for a fact that this student was challenged by her housemates to begin to think for herself in regards to what her true status is within the wizarding world.  I do not believe that she believes purebloods to be superior any longer.  _

_I would also suggest introducing her to your young protégé.  I understand that she is to become a Watcher like yourself, and I believe that our young Gryffindor will need the company.  Perhaps she will even need some time in a muggle community…away from London if you understand my meaning._

_Take care, and be gentle with her.  There is something peculiar about that girl, though I am still in the dark about what it is about this girl that unsettles me so._

_Albus PWBD_

------------------------

Rupert Giles paced the length of his study, re-reading the letter he'd received from Albus.  He understood what Dumbledore had been hinting at, and he had to admit that it was a good idea.  He didn't know how to teach the girl without giving away exactly who he was.

To the Death-Eaters, he was simply one of the three remaining un-named Death-Eater.  After Voldemort's fall, there had been five of them; Benjamin Zabini, Evan Rosier, Ethan Rayne, Henry Franks and himself.

Rosier and Franks were dead, and had been discovered as Death-Eaters during the final raids.  Rayne had escaped to who-knew-where and Rupert hadn't heard from him in years. 

And then there was Rupert.  He had infiltrated the Death-Eaters, but had been working for the Ministry of Magic and the Order of the Phoenix the entire time he'd been in 'service' to the Dark Lord.  Unlike Severus Snape who had been a Death-Eater first and _then_ turned spy, Rupert had always been loyal to the Ministry.

He'd feigned discontent with the Ministry and had been taken into the Death-Eaters.  He'd never been one of the higher-up Death-Eaters in Voldemort's inner-circle, but he'd been able to find out a lot about the Death-Eater's operations.  

After Voldemort's downfall, he'd been welcomed back into the Ministry and then transferred to one of their affiliates, the Council of Watchers.  He'd received the training needed, and had learnt about the lore concerning the very person that Watcher's watched.  The Slayer.  He was fairly certain he'd never be given a Slayer to watch over, but he had proven himself to be talented at the research end of the job.

His job now was to search for potentials.  Not potential Slayers, but potential Watchers.  The family lines of Watchers had been thinning, so to speak, and Rupert had been sent to find young people who showed potential for being Watchers.  He was sent to primary schools to find child-geniuses, and he'd discovered dozens of them.

His latest find lived in America, and had adamantly refused to go to England, even though she wanted to become a Watcher.  The girl was young, only twelve-years-old, though she was an absolute genius.  She was teaching herself to hack into computer systems, mainly because her parents paid little attention to anything she did.  Rupert had spoken with his advisers, and they'd agreed to let the girl remain in the States, but that Rupert would need to travel back and forth to ensure that she was learning everything she needed to be learning. 

Rupert's protégé was a young girl by the name Willow Rosenberg, a redheaded girl with an elfin-like face and innocent green eyes.  She craved approval from authority figures, and was in desperate need of good friends.  As far as Rupert knew, the girl only had one true friend, an Alexander Harris, though the two of them couldn't have been more opposite if they'd tried.  Where Willow was shy and quiet, Xander was loud and rambunctious.  Where Willow was a genius, Xander struggled to pass the fifth grade.

Rupert knew that Dumbledore was right.  A trip to the State, to a purely muggle area would be what Buffy Zabini needed.  Sunnydale California, here they come.

------------------------

"You want us to go to America?" Buffy asked in confusion.

"Yes."

"To a muggle community?"

"Yes."

Buffy stared at the man in confusion.  She couldn't figure him out.  Ripper, as she still knew him as, was completely inscrutable.  She hadn't been able to work out anything about him, and it was annoying her greatly.  She'd seen the Dark mark at the crook of his elbow, so she knew that he definitely _was_ a Death-Eater. 

"But…why?" she asked.

Rupert didn't know how to answer that question at all.  He didn't want to give himself away too early.  He still needed to gauge the girls reaction to the old-ways.  If he thought that she would be easily convinced how wrong Voldemort had been, then he would reveal the truth of himself very quickly.

"It is not yours to question why," he said softly.

Buffy breathed in sharply, remembering how Lucius and Dominique had kept her in line over the Christmas break.  It hadn't been fun, and she had no desire to upset a man with the name of 'Ripper'.

"Sorry sir," she said quietly.

Rupert immediately felt guilty for using intimidation as a technique to get her to stop asking question.  Unfortunately there was no way to take it back now.

Buffy was trying to hide the fact that she was shaking.  A Death-Eater going to a muggle community in the States.  It had the potential to be incredibly dangerous, and she didn't want to have to watch or be forced into any sort of acts of violence.  A year ago, this wouldn't have bothered her so badly, but…she knew better now.  She knew that muggles and half-bloods weren't inferior, as she'd been taught to believe.  Her best friends had been a muggle-born, a half-blood and a 'blood-traitor'. 

"We'd best be off," Rupert said softly, noticing the way Buffy had tensed up at his harsh voice from earlier. 

Buffy just nodded and obediently followed Rupert to the fireplace and grabbed a handful of Floo Powder.

----

insert dramatic music here Uh oh.  Many thanks for your reviews and stuff.  You guys rock!

Toodles.

DKG.


	14. The Photos

CHAPTER FOURTEEN: THE PHOTOS

Three days into the summer holidays, and Harry Potter was already bored.  The Dursley's had looked up all of his school things, except Harry had managed to hide several of his books and things around his room so that his aunt and uncle and cousin would never find them.  He was desperate for something to do, but there wasn't a lot of options.

Not for the first time in his life, he wished for a real family.  A family that actually loved him, not just ones that tolerated his presence within a house. 

His eyes lit up and he quickly dived towards the loose floorboard where he had hidden a lot of his schoolbooks, but hadn't been _that_ bored to resort to reading just yet.

Underneath two of the heavier books was the leather-bound book that Hagrid had given to him just before the end of term.  He settled himself on his bed and opened the book to the first page, smiling happily as he saw the photos within the book. 

He had to admit that he loved the way wizarding photos seemed to come alive.  It was always fascinating to watch the way people moved within the pictures. 

The first few pages seemed to be of a younger James and Lily.  They were in their Hogwarts uniforms, the Gryffindor crests shown proudly.  Surrounding them was a group consisting of three other boys and two other girls.   They were all smiling widely, their arms around each other, and Harry knew that they had been great friends.  He smiled wistfully, missing his own friends.

He hadn't had any letters from them yet, though it was early days yet. 

He flipped the page and saw photos of his parents wedding.  He felt tears prick his eyes as he saw his mother's beaming smile, and his father's happy grin.  He barely even noticed the people surrounding them, more concerned with the happiness of his parents that was shown in the photo.

He turned the page again and saw a picture of his mother during her pregnancy.  She was resting her head on James' shoulder, and James' hand was resting on the swell of Lily's stomach, their smiles showing complete contentment. 

He flipped the page again, and then he felt his heart almost stop completely. 

James and Lily in a hospital, James holding a tiny boy-child with a mop of unruly black hair.  That wasn't what surprised Harry though.  It was his mother, lying on the bed, holding a tiny girl-child with white-blonde hair. 

Without thought, he quickly flicked through the rest of the photos, his heart in his throat as he saw page after page of photos of his parents holding him and the blonde girl, their smiles always indulgent, and the two children always within close proximity to each other.

He reached a photo of just the girl by herself, a serious expression on her face, her tongue slightly poking out between her lips, her green eyes sparkling and her head cocked to the side.  Her hair was short and blonde, and all she wore in the photo was a diaper.  On her left shoulder was a small birthmark. 

Harry pulled the collar of his own shirt down to see an identical mark on his right shoulder, in the exact spot that was shown in the photo, just on the opposite shoulder. 

This wasn't making any sense to Harry at all.  Everything he'd ever believed had been thrown up into the air the day he'd met Hagrid the year before.  He'd discovered the truth about his parents deaths, and about who he truly was, and _what_ he truly was.  But no one had ever mentioned a sister with the same green eyes that he had. 

He flicked through the pages, desperate to work out what had happened to this girl.  Photo after photo showed the two of them growing up, hardly any photos of them without the other.  He could see his own happy grin reflected by the tiny girl in the photos. 

He came to a picture of a birthday party, the two of them seated behind a massive birthday cake.  Harry squinted for a closer look when he saw identical neck-chains being placed on them by their parents.  He touched his own chain with the silver lion pendant and realised that the chain around his neck was the very one that was being placed on him by his father in the photo. 

The one being placed around the girl had a pendant of a gryphon on it, and he felt his heart constrict though he didn't quite understand why.  A lion and a gryphon.  They had been meant for Gryffindor House, but…what had happened to his sister?  Had Voldemort killed her, or had she just died at a young age? 

He flicked through the pages again until finally the photos only showed himself with his parents.  The sparkle had dimmed in his parents eyes, and in his own as well.  He looked sadly at his beautiful snowy owl, Hedwig, wishing fervently that his uncle hadn't thought to lock the owl's cage to stop Harry from sending messages to his friends. 

He had no way to write to Dumbledore or Hagrid to ask for explanations.

He wondered if Hermione knew anything about the subject.  His best friend seemed to know far more about him than Harry knew about his own history.  It was unsettling at times, but it would have come in handy.

His eyes lit up slightly.  He raced back to his hiding spot and retrieved one of the books, _Modern Magical History_.  Hermione had mentioned that he was in that book, so he quickly scanned the index, found the appropriate pages and read hungrily for any information about the mystery child in the photos.  Nothing.  Absolutely nothing.  He sighed in frustration and slammed the history book closed.  He wouldn't be able to find out anything until one of his friends wrote to him and the owl remained behind so he could reply. 

He just knew that this was going to be a long summer.

------------------------

They emerged in a small flat, shooting out of the fireplace.  Buffy stood up and brushed herself off, looking around the room with interest.  She'd never seen a muggle living area before and it was slightly fascinating.  _Was this how Hermione lived_, she wondered.  She shook the thought away and looked to Rupert for instructions.

Rupert checked his watch and nodded to himself.  He walked to the front door and unlocked it.

"Tell me Miss Zabini, what is your favourite colour?" Rupert asked.

Buffy looked at him in confusion.  She couldn't help but wonder if this was a trick question.  "Uh…blue," she replied.

He nodded and took out his wand, aiming it in her direction.  She tensed up and forced herself to remember to breathe. 

"_Accouture,_" he said.

Buffy felt the air shift around her, and when she looked down at herself, she was no longer in her robes, but dressed in muggle clothing.  She didn't recognise what they were properly called, but she was in dark denim jeans and a light blue spaghetti-strapped top.  Her shoes had become white joggers and a lightweight darker blue jacket completed the ensemble.

Rupert nodded his approval just as there was a quiet knock on his front door, which swung open before Rupert even answered.

Buffy looked on in interest as a girl of her own age with red hair walked inside.

"Afternoon Giles…I'm not early am I?" she asked.

"Right on time as always Willow," Rupert replied.  "Come in, please.  I want you to meet a new student of mine.  Willow, this is Buffy Zabini. Buffy, meet Willow Rosenberg."

Buffy flashed the girl a small half-hearted smile and Willow enthusiastically came towards her.

"Nice to meet you Buffy.  It's so neat to meet someone else that Giles is teaching.  I mean, he wanted to take me over to England to teach me all this stuff, but…mom wouldn't let me go, y'know.  Jut because England's so far away and all that.  She had a slight case of the wiggins," Willow rambled.

Buffy had two immediate thoughts about this new girl.  First, she was slightly frightened that anyone could be so bubbly while talking about becoming a Death-Eater.  And second, that this girl could babble as well as Hermione could.

Buffy mentally hit herself again.  She had to stop thinking about Hermione Granger, no matter how much she missed the other girls friendship. 

"Uh…what exactly is a 'wiggins'?" Buffy asked. 

Willow's eyes widened.  "Oh…you're British.  I hope I didn't offend you with the whole 'not-wanting-to-go-to-England' thing, cos it's not that I don't _want_ to go to England, it's just that my mom would have something against it.  Not that she's racist or anything…just that it's…well…far away."

Buffy couldn't help but smile.  Rupert made a sudden movement and the smile evaporated completely.  Willow noticed the sudden change in the girls mood and forced herself to remain quiet.

Due to Buffy's nervousness, she felt herself beginning to get a little too hot.  She quickly took off her jacket, and self-consciously arranged the straps of the singlet top.  She wasn't used to baring this much flesh, but it was too hot in the room.

Willow's eyes widened.

"Oh wow!" she exclaimed.  "You're a potential!"

Rupert spun quickly and looked to Buffy who noticed Rupert's sharp focus on her.  She paled slightly wondering what Willow had been talking about and whether or not it was a good or bad thing. 

Rupert stalked towards her and touched her shoulder, skimming his finger across the birthmark on her left shoulder.  Willow hadn't been wrong.  She had the mark of a Potential Slayer.  He stepped back quickly as soon as he realised that Buffy was trembling in fear. 

"Potential?" Buffy asked, unable to keep her question to herself.

"Yeah, a Potential Slayer.  Wow…I thought you were just gonna be a Watcher like I am, but…wow this is so exciting.  I've never met a Potential before.  What's it like?" Willow asked.

"What's a Slayer?" Buffy asked.

Willow's eyes widened in panic and she saw Rupert shake his head in amusement. 

"You didn't know," Willow rambled.  She looked to Giles and met his gaze.  "I didn't know that she didn't know, I swear.  You know that if I'd known she didn't know, I wouldn't have said anything, but I didn't know…y'know?"

Giles chuckled at the convoluted sentence and Buffy's eyes widened at the sound.  He didn't sound evil or malicious.  He sounded amused.  And that was not something she'd ever heard from the few Death-Eaters that she'd ever met.

"Willow, calm down, it's alright," Giles assured the panicking girl.  "I had no idea that Buffy was a Potential until you saw the mark."

"Mark?" Buffy asked.

"The mark of the Slayer," Giles explained, pointing to the birthmark on her shoulder. 

"And again…Slayer?" Buffy asked.

"Terribly sorry.  I keep forgetting you're only First Year.  You don't learn about Slayers until Third Year…" Rupert trailed off, trying to think of the easiest way to explain to a twelve-year-old potential Slayer who was meant to be a future Death-Eater about who she truly was going to be.

"This world is older than you know," Rupert began.  "Contrary to popular mythology, it did not begin as a paradise.  For untold eons demons walked the Earth.  They made it their home…their Hell.  But in time they lost their purchase on this reality.  The way was made for mortal animals, for, for man.  All that remains of the old ones are vestiges, certain magicks, certain creatures…"

"You mean like the Dark Lord?" Buffy asked.

Rupert paused and nodded.  "In a way, yes.  He was corrupted by the Darker Magicks that were left behind.  He was corrupted by greed and power, though as far as we are aware, he isn't necessarily a demon.  Now…Willow, if you could explain about Slayers…"

Willow brightened and took a deep breath.

"Into each generation a Slayer is born, one girl in all the world, a Chosen One.  She alone will have the strength and skill to hunt the vampires the demons and the forces of darkness," Willow recited happily.  "She is the Slayer."

"Demons?"

"Like vampires, zombies, werewolves, incubi, succubi, everything you've ever dreaded was under your bed, but told yourself couldn't be by the light of day. They're all real!" Willow explained.

"Yes, I understand that they're real, but…me?  A Slayer?  Doesn't that…doesn't that completely contradict why my father sent me to stay with you?" Buffy asked Rupert.

Rupert sighed and nodded, removing his glasses and cleaning the lenses with his handkerchief.

"Quite.  What you have to understand, Buffy, is…I am not a Death-Eater," Rupert explained.

Willow and Buffy had identical looks of confusion, but for different reasons.  Willow had no clue what a Death-Eater was, and Buffy was trying to work out why her father thought that Rupert was one.

"What?  How is that…what's going on?" Buffy stuttered.

"I had hoped to ease you into this, but…with this new discovery of you being a Potential, it has changed things quite a bit.  I was never a Death-Eater, even though I bear the mark," Rupert explained, rolling up his sleeve to display the Dark Mark at the crook of his left elbow.  "I worked for Dumbledore as a spy, gathering information about Voldemort and his whereabouts.  None of the Death-Eaters ever discovered the truth, and it was decided that they would never find out."

"Then…why did you agree to take me in over the summer?" Buffy asked.

"At first I was curious.  Why would a Death-Eater's daughter need instructing in the old-ways if she'd grown up to it?  Your father told me you were placed within Gryffindor, and I had hopes that you could be swayed to join the fight _against _the Death-Eaters," Rupert said.  "Your father mentioned that you'd befriended a muggle-born witch."

Buffy nodded, her heart aching as she thought of the friends that she'd made the year before.  She'd only really had two months of real friendship with the group, and three months with Hermione, but she missed them terribly. 

"You want nothing to do with the old-ways do you?" Rupert asked gently.

Buffy felt tears prick her eyes.  For eleven years, she hadn't known any better than to believe what her father said to be the truth.  She'd been taught that muggles were beneath her, but she'd never truly understood what a muggle was.  She'd gone along with what her father had said, purely because she wanted him to accept her. 

"The only reason you even tolerate being taught the old-ways is so your family will accept you, isn't it?" Rupert continued, his voice soft and gentle.

Buffy nodded and felt a tear slide down her cheek.  Willow had no clue what was being said, but she understood one thing about the outcome of the conversation.  Buffy was upset, and Willow hated it when people were upset.  She stepped towards the shorter blonde girl and pulled her into a hug, Buffy clinging to her tightly and letting the tears flow freely. 

Rupert nodded his approval to Willow who just gently stroked the girls hair and waited for Buffy to calm down.  Nearly five minutes later, Buffy pulled away with a sheepish grin, wiping her eyes with the back of her hand.  Rupert clapped his hands together to gain their attention.

"Miss Zabini…I have a proposition for you."

-----

many thanks for the reviews!  You guys rock.  Pecial g'day to jess who is all kinds of tipsy… grins

Toodles.

Akttooie.


	15. The Truth

CHAPTER FIFTEEN: THE TRUTH

"So, Dumbledore didn't start the war?"

"Correct."

"And Dumbledore wasn't trying to stop the purebloods from being the ruling race, he was trying to stop them from killing off everyone else?"

"Yes."

"So…Voldemort really is evil?"

"Yes."

"And the whole Death-Eater thing isn't something that anyone would want to be unless they're evil or insane?"

"Essentially."

"So, basically my entire family is evil?"

"Uh…yes."

"And you want me to _not _go back to Hogwarts for the next three years?"

"Yes."

"And Dumbledore's okay with me not attending for three years, and then I can just go back?"

"Yes."

"And _you'll_ teach me magic."

"Precisely."

"_And_ be my Watcher?"

"Yes."

"And you'll buy me that new Nimbus Two Thousand and One?"

"Ye – what?!"

Buffy grinned and shook her head. "I was starting to wonder whether you were really listening or not."

Rupert shook his head, slightly amused. It had taken nearly five hours to get the real truth of the story of Voldemort and the Death-Eaters through to Buffy. She'd been shocked by the amount of things her father had twisted whenever he told her the tale of the war and the aftermath.

His smile quickly left his face and he looked at Buffy with serious eyes.

"You realise you'd essentially be lying to your family for the next few years?" he asked.

Buffy sobered and sighed softly. She nodded and fiddled with her wand before meeting Rupert's eyes.

"I hate it but…what you've just told me about Voldemort and the Death-Eaters…it all makes more sense now. I mean, before I went to Hogwarts, I had no clue what a muggle or a half-blood really was. But…I've met them, become friends with them. And…I can't think of anything worse than them dying, so…so I know that my family isn't right about this," Buffy said sadly.

"And you're prepared to remain here for the next three years to prepare for this? I know it must seem like an awfully long time, but it is imperative that you are taught how to defend yourself against magical and physical attacks. If you're to work as a spy for Dumbledore, you'll need to be able to protect yourself against everything," Giles explained.

Buffy nodded. She may not have liked having to be away from Hogwarts for three years, but she knew that her father would go to any length to see that she was properly trained as a Death-Eater. At least if she was in America with Giles, her father would believe she was being trained to his liking, rather than being trained to fight against him and the Death-Eaters.

"You'll have to be prepared to convince your family that you believe that they are right," Rupert explained. "Will you be able to do that?"

"I'll have to, won't I?"

------------------------

_Ben Z,_

Your daughter's studies are progressing quite well. She seems to be open to learning the old-ways, and seems to be learning the ruthlessness that comes with it. I believe that the only reason she strayed from your teachings was due to that infernal school and its headmaster. I know you are a busy man, and would have no time to home tutor your daughter. Thus, I would like to volunteer my services as a mentor for the girl until she is firmly indoctrinated in the ways of old. I believe that without the influence of her schoolmates, she could become an extremely useful ally. I await your reply.

Rip G.

------------------------

Ripper,

Your suggestion certainly has merit, and if you feel that my daughter truly has what it takes to become a useful ally, then, by all means, you should continue your tutelage. I agree that her problems began after she was enrolled in that school, so your suggestion of not sending her back until she is truly one of us is definitely ideal. Please keep me updated of her progress and her behaviour. She may remain in your custody for however long it takes.

Ben Z.

------------------------

"You're really staying in Sunnydale?" Willow asked.

Buffy nodded as the two of them walked down Main Street in the early afternoon. The first time that Buffy had gone with Willow on a stroll around the small town, she'd been completely shocked and fascinated by absolutely everything.

Growing up in a wizarding community had left Buffy incredibly sheltered, especially in all things muggle. And Buffy couldn't help but wonder whether the life that Willow was introducing her to was the sort of life that Hermione Granger led.

"Giles said that there are only a few places in the world where my magic won't be detected by the Ministry or by…y'know, any of the Death-Eaters," Buffy explained. "Something about this place being on a hellmouth. So, even if my father decided to actually care about me, he wouldn't be able to track me down through my magic."

"That's really smart," Willow commented. She was somewhat in awe of Rupert Giles and had made him a personal hero of hers. And, now that she could actually watch a Watcher training a Potential, everything that she'd been learning over the past few months was beginning to make a lot more sense. "But…aren't you gonna…y'know, miss your friends and stuff?"

Part of the reason that Willow hadn't wanted to go to England to train to be a Watcher was due to the fact that she didn't want to leave her best friend. She couldn't imagine voluntarily leaving her family and friends for three years to live in a foreign country and in a completely different sort of world.

"Truth? The three friends I did make at Hogwarts…I had to stay away from them because of my family," Buffy explained. "And, when I do go back, I'm _still_ going to have to stay away from them, because as far as my father's going to be concerned, I'm going to be the 'proper Death-Eater's daughter'."

"But you'll still miss them?"

Buffy nodded. "Well, of course I'll miss them. But…no matter what I choose, I'd never be able to be friends with them. If I suddenly went insane and decided I wanted to be a Death-Eater, then I wouldn't _want_ to be friends with them, and if I go back pretending I really do believe the whole 'purebloods are superior' rift, then I _still_ won't be able to be friends with them. And at least this way, I'm actually helping in the war against Voldemort, and I'm still accepted by my family. Even if I _am_ lying to them. It just seems to be a no-win situation all round."

Willow nodded sympathetically, though she would never be able to understand exactly what her new friend was going through. It seemed somewhat surreal to the redheaded potential Watcher. She'd only just discovered the world of vampires and demons, and suddenly an entirely new world of witches and wizards had been opened up to her. And Buffy was a part of both worlds, even if she hadn't been aware of it.

"Three years is a long time though," Willow said.

Buffy nodded. She'd be fifteen by the time she went back to Hogwarts, and it seemed like an age away.

"At least I'll have you and Xander to hang with. Though I'm starting to sound like the two of you…it's giving me the wiggins," Buffy said, grinning cheekily.

Willow just laughed and the two girls turned into the street Xander lived in, wanting to catch up with the brunette boy who hid his insecurities behind his humour. Willow was slightly surprised, but Buffy and Xander had hit it off famously, and ever since they'd met, the trio had spent every free moment together basking in the freedom of summer. When September hit though, Willow and Xander would be back in school, and Buffy would be getting instructed in the ways of magic by Giles. He'd be helping her keep up with the curriculum set out by Hogwarts, as well as training her as a Slayer, and giving her more practical knowledge in Defence Against the Dark Arts.

Three years…she just hoped that her friends at Hogwarts wouldn't completely forget her.

----

Sorry for the lack of updates. I transferred my files to a flash drive to take home for the holidays but forgot to pack the flash drive. sighs ****So it was all very sad.

BTW, go check out my new C2 community thingy. I figured that seeing as there's a bit of a trend for long lost sibling/daughter/cousin fics out there featuring Buffy as the main character, they should have a home. So, go, subscribe, volunteer to be staff members, and keep writing. There's a link in my profile.

As always, tremendous thanks to everyone for your feedback.

Toodles.

DKG.


	16. The Chamber

CHAPTER SIXTEEN: THE CHAMBER

(Chamber of Secrets…in a nutshell.)

"Who are you?"

"Dobby sir. Just Dobby. Dobby, the house-elf…"

…

"_Harry Potter must not go back to Hogwarts._"

…

"_Your sons flew that car to Harry's house and back last night!_" shouted Mrs Weasley. "What have you got to say about that eh?"

"Did you really?" said Mr Weasley eagerly. "Did it go alright? I – I mean," he faltered as sparks flew from Mrs Weasley's eyes, "that – that was very wrong, boys – very wrong indeed…"

…

"Well, well, well – Arthur Weasley."

"Lucius," replied Mr Weasley, nodding coldly.

"Busy time at the Ministry I hear," said Mr Malfoy. "All those raids…I hope they're paying you overtime?"

He reached into Ginny's cauldron and extracted, from amidst the glossy Lockhart books, a very old, very battered copy of _A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration_.

"Obviously not," Lucius said. "Dear me, what's the use of being a disgrace to the name of wizard if they don't even pay you well for it?"

…

"We're going to miss the train," Ron whispered. "I don't understand why the gateway's sealed itself…"

"I think we'd better go and wait by the car," said Harry. "We're attracting too much atten-"

"Harry!" said Ron, his eyes gleaming. "The car!"

…

Hermione sat by herself on the train, wondering where Harry and Ron were. Plus, she was worried about Buffy. She'd seen Blaise and her parents on the platform, but the tiny blonde Gryffindor girl was nowhere to be seen, and Hermione had enough sense not to go up and ask Mr and Mrs Zabini.

She wasn't all that worried about Harry and Ron. No doubt they'd run into some mischief, as Harry was wont to do. He always seemed to get out of it though, she Hermione wasn't concerned about the two of them getting expelled for doing something foolish.

An hour before the train was due to arrive at Hogwarts, Hermione was pulled out of her distracted mood by a soft coughing coming from the person standing in the doorway. Blaise Zabini stood before her, looking incredibly uncomfortable.

"Blaise," Hermione greeted the girl. "Where's Buffy?"

"She's not coming back," Blaise replied softly.

Hermione paled, not liking the idea of never seeing her friend again. "What?"

"Our father sent her to stay with…an associate for the summer. She's…she's staying for a while longer," Blaise explained vaguely.

"How much longer?"

"However long it takes," Blaise replied.

"To do what?" Hermione asked angrily.

Blaise couldn't meet Hermione's eyes. Instead, she turned and walked back to her own compartment, desperately missing her sister. While they'd been separated by the house system the year before, they'd still seen each other every day. Not having Buffy around for the summer had been hard, and even harder would be the next few months or even years without the cheerful blonde girl by her side.

Hermione felt sick at the thought of what Buffy had been doing over the summer break. She, Harry and Ron suspected that Buffy's parents were Death-Eaters and that Buffy was being taught to become one as well, and the thought that Buffy was being kept away from Hogwarts to continue that training was sickening to Hermione. And yet there was nothing that she could possibly do about it. It hurt, and all she could do was pray to whatever Higher Powers existed that her friend would not be corrupted by the powerful lure of power of and greed.

…

"At least no one on the Gryffindor team had to _buy _their way in," Hermione said pointedly as she looked at the Slytherin team, her eyes meeting Draco's smug glance as he proudly held the new racing brooms that his father had bought for the entire team. "_They _got in on pure talent."

The smug look on Draco's face flickered a little.

"No one asked for your opinion, you filthy little mudblood!"

…

"Hermione…you know everything there is to know about what happened with me and Voldemort when I was little, don't you?" Harry asked.

Hermione looked up, slightly startled. Harry's past wasn't something that they generally spoke about.

"Yes…why?"

Harry put his leather-bound photo album down in front of his best friend, open to the page of the photo of the small blonde baby-girl with startlingly green eyes and a birthmark on her left shoulder.

"Then, do you have any clue who this is?" he asked.

Hermione's eyes widened.

"You didn't know about her?" Hermione asked. "Oh gosh, Harry…I always thought you knew, but just…well, didn't want to talk about it."

"About what?" he asked.

"Your sister…your twin. She was…she was taken by Death-Eaters about a month before You-Know-Who…killed your parents," Hermione said gently. "She was never found. Everyone assumed that she was killed."

Harry felt tears prick his eyes. Even though he'd assumed that she'd died, hearing that she'd been killed by Death-Eaters made it somehow worse. He'd heard about the cruelty used by the followers of the Dark Lord, and he didn't want to imagine what sort of torture his sister had gone through.

"Do you…do you know what her name was?"

"Elizabeth Anne Potter. Your parents used to call her Ellie though."

Harry breathed in deeply and gently touched one finger to the smiling face of the baby girl in the photo. "Ellie," he whispered, his voice soft and reverent.

Hermione forced herself not to cry upon hearing the devastated tone of Harry's voice. She'd honestly never considered asking Harry about his dead sister, thinking it wasn't a topic to bring up in polite conversation. It would have been too painful, and she was definitely thankful that she'd never brought it up the year before. He hadn't known, and was only just now discovering that another member of his family had been lost because of Voldemort.

…

"_Come…come to me…let me rip you…let me tear you…let me kill you…_"

…

THE CHAMBER OF SECRETS HAS BEEN OPENED,

ENEMIES OF THE HEIR BEWARE.

"It's written in blood," Hermione observed.

"What's that thing – hanging underneath?" Ron asked.

"It's Mrs Norris…it's Filch's cat."

…

"She's not dead, Argus. She has been Petrified. But how I cannot say."

…

"_Your_ Bludger?" Harry said, his voice rising in anger. "What d'you mean _your_ Bludger? _You_ made that Bludger try and kill me?"

"Not kill you sir, never kill you!" said Dobby, shocked. "Dobby wants to save Harry Potter's life! Better sent home, grievously injured, than remain here sir! Dobby only wanted Harry Potter hurt enough to be sent home!"

…

"What does this mean Albus?"

"It means that the Chamber of Secrets is indeed open again."

…

"Scared Potter?"

"You wish."

"_Serpensortia!_"

The end of his wand exploded. Harry watched, aghast, as a long black snake shot out of it, fell heavily onto the floor between them and raised itself, ready to strike. There were screams as the crowd backed swiftly away, clearing the floor.

"Don't move Potter," Snape said lazily, clearly enjoying the sight of Harry standing motionless, eye-to-eye with the angry snake. "I'll get rid of it."

"Allow me!" shouted Lockhart. He brandished his wand at the snake and there was a loud bang; the snake, instead of vanishing, flew ten feet into the air and fell back to the floor with a loud smack. Enraged, hissing furiously, it slithered straight towards Justin Finch-Fletchley and raised itself, fangs exposed, poised to strike.

Gharry wasn't sure what made him do it. He wasn't even aware of deciding to do it. All he knew was that his legs were carrying him forward as though he was on castors and that he had shouted stupidly at the snake "Leave him!" And miraculously, inexplicably, the snake slumped to the floor, docile as a thick black garden hose, its eyes now on Harry. Harry felt the fear drain out of him. He knew the snake wouldn't attack anyone now, though how he knew it, he couldn't have explained.

…

"But I do know one thing. The last time the Chamber of Secrets was open a mudblood died," Draco said with great relish. "So I bet it's a matter of time before one of them's killed this time. As for me…I hope it's Granger."

…

"It was Hagrid, Ron. Hagrid opened the Chamber of Secrets fifty years ago."

…

"There has been another attack. A double attack."

"_Hermione!_"

McGonagall held up a small mirror that had been discovered near where Hermione had been found Petrified with a Ravenclaw prefect, Penelope Clearwater.

"I don't suppose either of you can explain this?"

Both Harry and Ron shook their heads helplessly, staring at the frozen girl lying on the hospital wing bed.

…

"_Dreadful_ thing, Dumbledore," said Mr Malfoy lazily, "but the governors feel it's time for you to step aside. This is an Order of Suspension – you'll find all twelve signatures on it. I'm afraid we feel you're losing your touch. How many attacks have there been now? Two more this afternoon, wasn't it? At this rate, there'll be no Muggle-borns left at Hogwarts, and we all know what an _awful_ loss that would be to this school."

…

"You will find that I will only _truly_ have left this school when none here are loyal to me. You will also find that help will always be given at Hogwarts to those who ask for it."

"Admirable sentiments," Malfoy said, bowing.

…

"If anyone wanted ter find out some _stuff_, all they'd have ter do would be ter follow the _spiders_. That'd lead 'em right! That's all I'm sayin'."

…

"Ron – that girl who died. Aragog said she was found in a bathroom. What if she never left the bathroom? What if she's still there?"

"You _don't_ think – not _Moaning Myrtle_?"

…

"Ron, this is it! This is the answer. The monster in the Chamber is a _Basilisk_ – a giant serpent! _That's_ why I've been hearing that voice all over the place, and nobody else has heard it. It's because I understand Parseltongue…The Basilisk kills people by looking at them. But no one's died…because no one looked it in the eye. Colin saw it through his camera. Justin must've seen it through Nearly Headless Nick…and Hermione and that Ravenclaw prefect were found with a mirror nest to them. Hermione had _just_ realised the monster was a Basilisk. Pipes…Ron it's been using the plumbing. I've been hearing that voice inside the walls."

"The entrance to the Chamber of Secrets! What if it's in a bathroom? What if it's in-"

"_Moaning Myrtle's_ bathroom!"

…

HER SKELETON WILL LIE IN THE CHAMBER FOREVER.

"Who is it? Which student is it?"

"Ginny Weasley."

Ron gasped and whispered his younger sister's name, filled with a dread that he'd never felt before in his entire life.

…

"_Ginny!_ Please don't be dead. Please wake up."

"She won't wake."

"Tom – _Tom Riddle_?"

…

"Haven't you guessed Harry? Ginny Weasley opened the Chamber of Secrets. She strangled the school roosters and daubed threatening messages on the walls. She set the Serpent of Slytherin on four Mudbloods, and the Squib's cat."

"No."

…

"How is it that a baby with no extraordinary magical talent managed to defeat the greatest wizard of all time? How did _you_ escape with nothing but a scar, while Lord Voldemort's powers were destroyed?"

"Why do you care how I escaped? Voldemort was after your time."

"Voldemort is my past, present and future Harry Potter."

TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE

I AM LORD VOLDEMORT

…

"This is what Dumbledore sends his defender? A songbird and an old hat! Do you feel brave Harry Potter? Do you feel safe now?"

…

The Basilisk lunged again, and this time its aim was true. Harry threw his whole weight behind the sword and drove it to the hilt into the roof of the serpent's mouth.

But as the warm blood drenched Harry's arms, he felt a searing pain just above his elbow. One long, poisonous fang was sinking deeper and deeper into his arm and it splintered as the Basilisk keeled over sideways and fell, twitching to the floor.

Harry slid down the wall. He dripped the fang that was spreading the poison through his body and wrenched it out of his arm. But he knew it was too late. White-hot pain was spreading slowly and steadily from the wound. Even as he dropped the fang and watched his own blood soaking his robes, his vision went foggy. The chamber was dissolving in a whirl of dull colour.

…

"Phoenix tears…of course…healing powers…I forgot."

…

Fawkes soared overhead and something fell into Harry's lap – _the diary_.

For a split second, both Harry and Riddle, wand still raised, stared at it. Then, without thinking, without considering, as though he had meant to do it all along, Harry seized the Basilisk fang on the floor next to him and plunged it straight into the heart of the book.

There was long, dreadful, piercing scream. Ink spurted out of the diary in torrents, streaming over Harry's hands, flooding the floors. Riddle was writhing and twisting, screaming and flailing and then…

He had gone.

…

"You can speak Parseltongue Harry because Lord Voldemort – who is the last remaining descendent of Salazar Slytherin – can speak Parseltongue," Dumbledore explained calmly. "Unless I'm much mistaken, he transferred some of his own powers to you the night he gave you that scar. Not something he intended to you, I'm sure."

"Voldemort put a bit of himself in _me_?"

"It certainly seems so."

…

"Your Aunt and Uncle will be proud though won't they?" said Hermione as they got off the train and joined the crowd thronging towards the enchanted barrier. "When they hear what you did this year?"

"Proud?" said Harry. "Are you mad? All those times I could've died and I didn't manage? They'll be furious…"

-----

Many thanks for your feedback! You guys rock!

A few questions for you to ponder. Oh, and actually answer please.

I'm doing a research project for uni, and I chose to research what I know. What I know is fanfic. So…I'm hoping that you guys can be of some help to me. If you're a writer, could you please, please, please take the time to fill in the survey, and either post in the review section, or email it to me. katterss hotmail . com (Just take out the spaces…but not the underscore.)

SURVEY:

1. How long have you been writing stories?

2. How long have you been _posting_ stories?

3. Were you a reader before you became a writer?

4. Why did you first start writing stories?

5. Why did you first start _posting_ stories?

6. Were you at all influenced by the idea of getting feedback?

7. Has feedback you've received played a part in why you still write?

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9. Do you believe that is a sort of 'safe haven' for you to post stories?

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Seriously, as many of you that can, I'd really, really appreciate it. I might even be inspired to post sooner…(I'm not above blackmail…nooo, not at all.)

I'd really appreciate this guys!! Thanks!


	17. The Training

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN: THE TRAINING

"You're dropping your left shoulder!"

THWACK

"Better…"

CRACK

"Again!"

THUD

"Good…again!"

THUMP

"You're telegraphing your punches. Again!"

SMACK

"Oof!"

"Oh crap, I am sooo sorry!"

Giles chuckled slightly and lifted himself off the ground with Buffy's assistance.

"You've certainly improved since the last time we sparred."

"After a month, I'd kind of hope so," the thirteen-year-old replied.

"Yes, well, considering the Council has no knowledge of the fact that I'm staying here to train a Potential Slayer as well as a future Watcher, it's difficult for me to remain in Sunnydale full time," Giles explained.

"And, like I've said before, it's all good Giles," Buffy replied.

Giles rolled his eyes at the expression. In the year that Buffy had been staying in Sunnydale, she'd picked up the oddest phrases from Willow and Xander. Her accent had become more American than British as well, something that amused Giles to no end.

"Besides, it's not like Willow doesn't enjoy the company. Her parents are never home anyway, so…we get along just fine on our own," Buffy replied.

Giles nodded, still not understanding how the Rosenberg's could be so inattentive to their child who had the IQ of a genius. It made very little sense, but at least Willow's parents didn't question where the blonde British girl had come from, or why Willow seemed to arrive at home four hours _after_ school had finished for the day.

"So, when do you think I'll be able to go on patrol?" Buffy asked, excitement tinging her voice.

Giles' eyes widened. "Not anytime soon, I can assure you."

"What? Come on, I've been training for a year!" Buffy replied. "Besides, I've staked a vamp before."

"It fell on your stake!" he reminded her.

"I planned for that to happen!" Buffy argued back.

Giles rolled his eyes, knowing full well that the dusting had been completely accidental.

"Buffy, you're barely thirteen-years-old. You're _not_ a Slayer."

"But I _have the Potential_," she replied. "You're the one who keeps saying that."

"And I'd like for you to continue to have Potential, so you won't be going out on patrol anytime soon," Giles said vehemently.

"I killed a mountain troll when I was eleven for Merlin's sake," Buffy continued her argument.

"Adrenaline and a streak of over-protectiveness is not enough to qualify you to patrol nightly," Giles replied. "And while that was a great feat indeed, I also believe that it was partially a fluke."

Buffy rolled her eyes, but knew that she wouldn't win the argument.

"Well, can we at least move on to crossbows or something, cos this whole fighting with staffs thing is getting kind of tired," Buffy said. "I mean, it's not like I'm going to be fighting Friar Tuck."

"You've _read _Robin Hood?" Giles asked, with interest.

Buffy's nose wrinkled. "No!" she replied indignantly, as though reading was something to be shamed by. "Will rented the movie for us."

"I should have known."

----------------------

"Look, I know how a Death-Eater acts, alright?" Buffy said angrily. "I've got ages before I have to go back to Hogwarts and pretend to be on the pureblood parade, so why won't you just let me enjoy being in Sunnydale, and enjoy being relatively normal for the next two years?"

"Buffy, I know that you're frustrated by this entire situation, believe me, I've been there myself," Giles said gently. "But, you must be prepared to look and act like a future Death-Eater should."

"Which is what I was doing after Christmas last year," she reminded him. "I've got the whole 'evil-bitch-monster-of-death' thing down pretty well Giles, I swear."

"Except for the fact that you're going to have to speak ill of muggles and half-bloods, and I don't think you're prepared for that," Giles said.

Buffy paused. That was the truth. She didn't know if she could speak badly about people she liked. Especially if she had to do it to their faces.

"You managed," Buffy said softly.

"I was a great deal older than you are, and most of the people that I ridiculed knew that I wasn't truly a Death-Eater," Giles explained. "And, no, you _can't_ tell Hermione and the others that you are truly on their side."

Buffy rolled her eyes. She'd heard that too many times over the last year. She didn't understand it, but she supposed that it did actually make sense. She hated it, but she was willing to help in whatever way she could.

She truly respected Giles, and she had to admit that he would have made a terrific father. She'd never noticed it, but her own father was severely lacking in compassion or love of any sort, but until now, she'd never realised it. She'd latched onto Giles and thought of him as a sort of father figure, and she knew that she would do almost anything to make him proud of her.

He wanted her to help Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix, which Giles had explained slightly to her. She wanted to go back to Hogwarts and, in all honesty, the thought of playing spy did seem rather exciting.

She knew that she would be pitting herself against her family, but after spending a year with Giles, Willow and Xander, she knew the true meaning of the word family. And while she hated the thought of lying to Blaise, she couldn't let her mother or father get away with plotting against the non-magical communities of the world. With any luck, Buffy would be able to convince Blaise to reject the old-ways, and join in against the Death-Eaters.

"I know I can't tell them Giles," she replied, whining slightly. "And I won't. I just…I want to see them all again, but as soon as I do see them, I have to be a complete bitch to them to make them believe that I really believe in the old-ways."

"Not to mention you'll have to stop using all that infernal American slang you've become so fond of," Giles teased.

Buffy groaned and rolled her eyes, thankful though that the mood had been lightened. He definitely knew when to take a step back and not let the darkness get too heavy.

----

Sorry for getting this fic out so late. Assignments and stuff have been dragging me under. sighs Many, many, many thanks to everyone who responded to my survey! You guys are all tops!!

Ooo, and Lisette, can I bribe you into updating? Twas my birfday a few days ago…pouts Please?


	18. The Prisoner

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN: THE PRISONER

(Prisoner of Azkaban in one easy chapter…)

"Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. Just stick out your wand hand, step on board and we can take you anywhere you want to go."

…

"The say Sirius Black's mad, and maybe he is, but he was clever enough to escape from Azkaban, and that's supposed to be impossible. It's been three weeks, and no one's seen hide nor hair of him, and I don't care what Fudge keeps telling the _Daily Prophet,_ we're no nearer catching Black then inventing self-spelling wands. The only thing we know for sure is what Black's after. Black is deranged, and he wants Harry dead."

…

"Who d'you reckon he is?" Ron hissed, as they sat down and slid the door shut taking seats furthest away from the window.

"Professor R.J. Lupin," whispered Hermione.

"How'd you know that?"

"It's on his case."

…

An intense cold swept over them all. Harry felt his own breath catch in his chest. The cold went deeper than his skin. It was inside his chest, it was inside his very heart.

Harry's eyes rolled up in his head. He couldn't see. He was drowning in cold. There was a rushing in his ears as though of water. He was being dragged downwards, the roaring growing louder.

And then, from far away, he heard screaming, terrible, terrifying pleading screams. He wants to help whoever it wad, he tried to move his arms, but he couldn't. A thick white fog was swirling around him, inside him.

…

"What was that thing?" Harry asked Lupin.

"A Dementor. One of the Dementors of Azkaban."

…

"This is very easy," Malfoy drawled, loud enough for Harry to hear him. "I knew it must have been, if Potter could do it…I bet you're not dangerous at all, are you?" he said to the Hippogriff. "Are you, you ugly great brute?"

It happened in a flash of steely talons; Malfoy let out a high-pitched scream and the next moment, Hagrid was wrestling Buckbeak back into his collar as he strained to get Malfoy, who lay curled in the grass, blood blossoming over his robes.

…

"You know that day we fought the Boggart? Why didn't you let me fight it?" Harry asked.

"I would have thought that was obvious Harry," Lupin replied, sounding surprised.

"Why?"

"Well, I assumed that if the Boggart faced you, it would assume the shape of Lord Voldemort."

"I did think of Voldemort first," Harry said honestly. "But then, I remembered those Dementors."

…

Before he had time to think, Harry had taken his eyes off the Snitch and looked down.

At least a hundred Dementors, their hidden aces pointing up at him, were standing below. It was as though freezing water was rising in his chest, cutting at his insides. And then he heard it again…someone was screaming, screaming inside his head. No…two someone's. A woman…and a tiny little blonde haired girl.

_"Mamma!" _

_"Ellie!" _

_"Ree!"_

"_NO!"_

And then it changed to just one person screaming.

_"Not Harry! Not Harry! Please, not Harry!"_

_"Stand aside, silly girl…stand aside now…"_

_"Not Harry, please no. Take me, kill me instead! You've…you've already taken my daughter!"_

_"And she is such a delightful child. So beautiful…her screams are like music. And now the boy shall die."_

_"Not Harry! Please…have mercy…have mercy…."_

Numbing, swirling white mist was filling Harry's brain…what was he doing? Why was he flying? He needed to help her…she was going to die…she was going to be murdered.

He was falling, falling through the icy mist. A shrill voice was laughing, the woman was screaming, and Harry knew no more.

…

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

Messrs Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot and Prongs 

_Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers_

_Are proud to present_

THE MARAUDER'S MAP.

…

"Get too near a Dementor and every good feeling, every happy memory, will be sucked out of you. If it can, the Dementor will feed on you long enough to reduce you to something like itself – soulless and evil. You'll be left with nothing but the worst experiences of your life," Remus Lupin explained. "And the worst that has happened to you Harry, is enough to make anyone fall off their broom. You have nothing to feel ashamed of."

"When they get near me…I can hear Voldemort murdering my mum. I…I can hear my – my sister screaming for me. She sounds so frightened, and I can't do anything to help her."

Remus made a sudden motion with his arm, as though he had made to grip Harry's shoulder, but thought better of it. There was a moment's silence.

"Part of me wants to hear it," Harry confessed. "I mean I know nothing about my family, so…it's just hard, you know."

"They loved you Harry," Remus assured him. "I've never seen more devoted parents."

"Everyone tells me that I'm a lot like my dad…that I have mum's eyes…but no one will tell me about my sister."

Remus nodded slowly and gestured for Harry to take a seat. "What do you want to know?"

"Anything," Harry replied. "Everything."

Remus paused, remembering all the times he'd spent at the Potter house, watching in rapt fascination as the twins had learned to walk and talk. He wished he could remember every single event of their lives, but the years had faded his memories.

"She was…beautiful. She had Lily's mum's blonde hair. She was such a little thing, with your mum's eyes. Your eyes," Remus said. "Her first word was your name, but she couldn't pronounce it properly. She never did learn how. She called you-"

"Ree," Harry finished, his voice barely more than a whisper.

"You remember her?" Remus asked.

"Whenever the Dementors get too close, I hear her cry out 'Ree'…cry out for mum," Harry replied. "She sounds so frightened."

Remus nodded, feeling a knot welling in his chest as he clamped down the urge to cry for the beautiful two-year-old girl who had been taken from her bed so many years ago.

"You were always so close. When she was taken, you were devastated," Remus said. "Everyday you'd ask 'where's Ellie, where's Ellie?'. She was…she was special."

Harry fought back the urge to cry. Instead, he reached his hand up to tangle his fingers in the chain with the lion pendant. Remus' eyes lit up and he smiled, reaching forward to touch his fingers to the pendant.

"You still have this," Remus said, somewhat surprised.

Harry nodded. "It's all I really have of my parents."

Remus laughed softly, remembering the day that Harry had received the pendant. "It was a gift from Ellie actually," Remus replied. "Your mum and dad wanted you two to give each other gifts. You gave her a pendant with-"

"A gryphon," Harry said with a grin.

Remus pulled his collar away slightly and retrieved a silver chain with a gryphon pendant on it. He unclasped the necklace and handed it to Harry.

"After your parents…well, after you were sent to the Dursley's, this necklace was discovered in what was left of the house," Remus admitted. "James kept it after Ellie was taken. It had been broken in the attack on your house the night your sister was kidnapped."

Harry stared at it reverently. This necklace had belonged to his sister. It was something that his sister had worn with love and affection, and he fought back tears at the thought of it being ripped from her neck on the night of her kidnapping. He handed the necklace back, not wanting to part with it, but knowing that it unfortunately wasn't his to keep.

"I saw photos of that birthday, when we got the necklaces," Harry recalled. "I didn't realise that was you in the background. Come to think of it, you're in a lot of the photos."

"We were best friends, your dad and I," Remus explained. "Ellie was my god-daughter."

"And me?" Harry asked curiously.

Remus shook his head. "That went to another friend of your dad's."

Realising that he wasn't going to get any more information from Remus on the subject of a potential godfather, or godmother, he quickly turned the conversation back to his sister.

"Did they ever discover why Voldemort took her?" Harry asked.

Remus shook his head sadly. "Never. Our spies were never able to find any information about her either, no matter how hard they tried. After Voldemort and the Death-Eaters were defeated, and we never found her, it was assumed that she was killed."

Harry nodded, his eyes closed in a silent prayer for his lost sister. It hurt to hear about her, but his heart ached to know more about his family. It didn't seem fair that so many people had been hurt by Voldemort, purely because he hated muggle-borns.

…

"You'd have thought Black and Potter were brothers! Inseparable."

"Black betrayed them?"

"He did indeed. It was never proven, but most everyone believes that it was Sirius who was one of the Death-Eaters who took young Elizabeth Potter straight from her bed that night. But Black was tired of the double-agent role, he was ready to declare his support openly for You-Know-Who, and he seems to have planned this for the moment of the Potters' death. But, as we all know, You-Know-Who met his downfall in little Harry Potter. Powers gone, horribly weakened, he fled. And this left Black in a very nasty position indeed. His Master had fallen at the very moment when he, Black, had shown his true colours as a traitor. He had no choice but to run for it."

"But he didn't manage to disappear did he? The Ministry of Magic caught up with him the next day!"

"Alas, if only we had. It was not we who found him. It was little Peter Pettigrew – another of the Potters' friends. Maddened by grief, no doubt, and knowing that Black had been the Potters' Secret-Keeper, he went after Black himself."

"Pettigrew died a hero's death. Eye-witnesses – Muggles, of course, we wiped their memories later – told us how Pettigrew cornered Black. They say he was sobbing 'Lily and James, Sirius! How could you!' and then he went for his wand. Well, of course, Black was quicker. Blew Pettigrew to smithereens."

…

"What did you go running to McGonagall for?"

"Because I thought – and Professor McGonagall agrees with me – that that broom was probably sent to Harry by Sirius Black!"

…

"It wasn't a nightmare!" Ron yelled. "Professor, I woke up and Sirius Black was standing over me, holding a knife!"

…

"Hagrid lost his case. Buckbeak is going to be executed."

…

"_It will happen tonight. The dark Lord lies alone and friendless, abandoned by his followed. His servant has been chained these twelve years. Tonight, before midnight, the servant will break free and set out to rejoin his master. The Dark Lord will rise again with his servant's aid, greater and more terrible than ever before. Tonight…before midnight…the servant…will set out…to rejoin…his master…_"

Professor Trelawney's head fell forwards onto her chest. She made a grunting sort of noise. Then, quite suddenly, her head snapped up again.

"I'm so sorry, dear boy," she said dreamily. "The heat of the day you know…I drifted off for a moment."

…

"Ron, are you okay?"

"Where's the dog?"

"Not a dog," Ron moaned. His teeth were gritted with pain. "Harry it's a trap."

"What-"

"_He's the dog…he's an animagus_."

Ron was staring over Harry's shoulder. Harry wheeled around. With a snap, the man in the shadows closed the door behind them. It was Sirius Black.

…

"Where is he Sirius?" Lupin asked in a voice that shook with some suppressed emotion.

Black very slowly raised his empty hand and pointed straight at Ron. Mystified, Harry glanced around at Ron, who looked utterly bewildered.

"But then…why hasn't he shown himself before now? Unless…unless _he_ was the one…unless you switched…without telling me?"

Black nodded and Lupin lowered his wand, walked over to Black and embraced him like a brother.

"_I don't believe it!_" Hermione yelled angrily. "I trusted you and all the time you've been his friend. Harry, don't trust him, he's been helping Black get into the castle, he wants you dead too – _he's a werewolf!_"

There was a ringing silence. Everyone's eyes were now on Lupin who looked remarkably calm, though rather pale.

"Not at all up to your usual standard Hermione," Lupin said. "Only one out of three I'm afraid. I have not been helping Sirius get into the castle, and I certainly don't want Harry dead. But I don't deny that I'm a werewolf."

…

"What's my rat got to do with anything?" Ron asked, holding Scabbers close to him, looking scared.

"That's not a rat," croaked Sirius Black suddenly.

"What d'you mean – of course he's a rat."

"No he's not," Lupin said quietly. "He's a wizard."

"An Animagus," said Black. "By the name Peter Pettigrew."

…

"Believe me," croaked Black, "I never betrayed James and Lily. I would have died before I betrayed them."

And at long last, Harry believed him. Throat too tight to speak, he nodded.

"No!" Pettigrew had fallen to his knees as though Harry's nod had been his own death sentence.

--------

Sorry for the lack of updates. Life has been unkind lately. (Who else has just spent too many hours watching HP3 now that it's out on DVD? grins)

K.


	19. The Goblet

CHAPTER NINETEEN: THE GOBLET

(Just for experimentations sake…this is the year of the Tournament, but I'm not about to re-write everything that happens at Hogwarts. This year is gonna be set in Sunnydale, but you'll be kept up-to-date through letters and conversations. Basically cos I re-wrote GoF for House of Black, and I can't be bothered summarising it like I did with CoS and PoA.)

_Albus,_

_The progress of my latest project is phenomenal to say the least. Her grasp of DADA is excellent, and she has been able to learn the finer points of physical defence as well. We have been concentrating on her behaviour to convince others that she truly believes the old-ways. _

_I sent her to a muggle acting class, and found that drama lessons greatly helped her with playing the part. It is truly fascinating to watch her switch between her real self, and her persona as a child of a follower. I worry though that when it comes to truly acting the part, her heart will get in the way. For the child of a follower, she is unusually tender-hearted. Especially for a Potential. _

_For her sake though, I hope that she can put aside her feelings and consider the bigger picture. For a fourteen-year-old, she is surprisingly mature. Let us hope that her training will be of use when she returns to school in a years time._

_Faithfully,_

RG.

------------------------

Buffy sat on Giles' sofa, looking over the _Daily Prophet_ article in shock. A Death-Eater attack at the World Cup Quidditch Game. She knew for certain that her family would have been there, and she couldn't help but wonder whether or not her father had participated in the tormenting of the muggles that the _Prophet_ wrote about. It was disgusting to think of anyone being involved in the events, but she _knew_ that her father had been one of them.

"Who do you think sent up the Dark Mark?" Buffy asked quietly.

Giles shook his head. "I'm not certain. I can tell you that none of them had expected it though. They scattered as soon as they saw it," Giles replied.

"Something's coming Giles," Buffy said. "Something bad."

"We don't know that for certain."

"No…but I can feel it. That Tournament is a bad idea. Especially having Durmstrang there," Buffy said. "You said it yourself, Karkaroff is a Death-Eater."

"Karkaroff wouldn't want Voldemort to return though," Giles said. "Everyone sees him as a traitor, no matter what he's now trying to get away with teaching within the school."

Buffy just shook her head. There was nothing that they could do to cancel the Tri-Wizard Tournament. It had been set up by the Ministry to promote friendship between the three different schools participating. Except, that friendship would be shoved aside as soon as the Tournament truly started and the different schools barracked for their own representatives within the tournament.

"At least they'll have two months before the other schools get to Hogwarts," Giles said.

Buffy nodded, conceding the point.

"And I suppose Dumbledore didn't get to be where he is without having _some_ idea of what's going on around him," Buffy admitted.

Giles chuckled slightly at the admission.

"Besides which, Karkaroff is really a bit of a coward," Giles said. "He tried ratting out several Death-Eaters, but he gave names of people who'd already been caught. Tried to convince the Ministry that he hadn't been all that terrible really. But, of course, now the Death-Eaters don't hold him in particularly high regard either. They hate traitors, and Karkaroff certainly was one of those."

"Then why is he teaching at a school that's rumoured to actually _teach_ the Dark Arts?" Buffy asked curiously.

"To try and appease the people that he tried to betray. I suppose he was actually somewhat lucky that the people he named had already been caught. If he'd been able to give names of people who had yet to be captured, he would have ended up dead or worse at the hands of Voldemort's followers," Giles said.

"Professor Snape will be keeping an eye on him right?" Buffy asked, still worried. "I mean, hardly anyone knows that Snape was really a spy, so…Karkaroff would still think that Snape is on Voldemort's side."

Giles nodded. "Yes, Severus will be keeping an eye on him. Just as I expect, he has been doing for the last few years with all of the Slytherin students."

"That's what I don't get about him. I mean, if he's not a Death-Eater anymore, why is he showing favourtism to the Slytherin students?" Buffy asked.

"To keep up appearances I suppose," Giles replied thoughtfully. "And I suppose that if any of the students report Snape's behaviour back to their parents, no one could find fault with him and discover the truth behind Severus's duplicity."

------------------------

"Giles?"

"Hmmm?"

"Quick question: hypothetically, if Voldemort did manage to return, and I can actually pull off the whole dutiful-Death-Eater-daughter thing, won't he be able to tell that I'm lying?" Buffy asked.

Giles nodded. "Yes."

Buffy just stared at him incredulously. That was his answer? Yes?

Giles laughed slightly at Buffy's reaction and patted her shoulder absently.

"Next week we'll begin your training in Occlumency," he explained. "It enables a witch or wizard to protect their minds from intrusion. It's something that both Severus and I used so that Voldemort could never read our true thoughts."

"Oh." That _did _explain things, she supposed. She shrugged and went back to her book on the Rise and Fall of the Dark Arts.

------------------------

Giles snorted in disbelief, rolling his eyes and throwing down the latest issue of the Daily Prophet. Buffy reached for it curiously, wondering what had caused such a reaction in the usually unflappable Watcher.

Harry has at last found love at Hogwarts. His close friend, Colin Creevey, says that Harry is rarely seen out of the company of one Hermione Granger, a stunningly pretty Muggle-born girl who, like Harry, is one of the top students in the school.

Buffy frowned. She knew that anything Rita Skeeter wrote had to be taken with not just a grain of salt, but with a whole sackful. But, she knew that a lot would have happened in the last two or so years. And Harry and Hermione had been good friends when they were all eleven. Why _wouldn't_ they start dating?

What Buffy couldn't work out was why she was so…upset by it all. She swallowed hard, wondering whether or not Hermione even remembered her at all.

Buffy herself thought of Hermione almost daily. In her room, beneath her bed, she had a shoebox full of unsent letters, all to the bushy-haired Gryffindor girl that had been Buffy's best friend. But that still didn't explain why she felt…almost betrayed really.

She sighed and pushed the article back towards Giles.

"That Rita Skeeter woman would report anything to get her name in the paper," Buffy commented.

"And now that Harry is the fourth Tri-Wizard Champion, she seems to be trying to get as much publicity as humanly possible," Giles added.

"How did Harry get into the Tournament?" Buffy asked curiously.

Giles shook his head. "I doubt even Dumbledore or Harry know the answer to that question. He's too young to be competing, plus there was already a Hogwarts Champion."

"I told you something bad was coming," Buffy said, feeling the familiar feeling of uneasiness rising in her chest. "I don't believe in coincidences Giles, you know that. Harry was entered into that Tournament by someone…a Death-Eater. I'd bet my right arm on it."

"I have no doubt that you are correct," Giles replied. "But Albus is keeping a close eye on the boy. And Alastor Moody won't let any harm come to Harry while he's at Hogwarts."

Buffy nodded, sighing at the helplessness she felt. Ever since learning of the destiny that she would one day step into as a Slayer, she'd been more and more eager to help people. It was the reason she wanted to go on patrol, the reason she wanted to be back at Hogwarts, trying to protect the students from the inevitable attack of the Death-Eaters.

Voldemort was going to return, she could feel it, and she wanted to be there when he was finally defeated once and for all.

------------------------

"So, what are we doing again?" Buffy asked curiously as she sat opposite her Watcher.

"Occlumency," Giles replied patiently. "It's the magical defence of the mind against external penetration. It's an obscure branch of magic, but a highly useful one."

"So…it stops people from being able to read your mind?" Buffy asked.

"Something like that. Now…Voldemort is a powerful Leglimens," Giles continued. "Leglimency is the ability to extract feelings and memories from another person's mind. However, the human mind is a complex and many-layered thing. Those who have mastered Leglimency are able, under certain circumstances, to delve into the minds of their victims and to interpret their findings correctly. Voldemort for example almost always knows when somebody is lying to him. Only those skilled at Occlumency are able to shut down those feelings and memories that contradict the lie, and so can utter falsehoods in his presence without detection."

"So, that's how you and Professor Snape managed to get away with spying without being caught," Buffy deduced.

Giles nodded, thankful that his pupil seemed to have grasped what he'd been trying to explain.

"Your father also has some skill with Leglimency, though nowhere near the talent that Voldemort had with it," Giles explained.

"So…what you're basically saying is that Occlumency is a way to…well, compartmentalise your thoughts. So, whoever's trying to read you can still enter your mind, they just won't see the truth behind everything in front of it?" Buffy asked.

Giles paused thoughtfully for a moment before finally nodding his agreement. "Indeed. I'd like to begin by seeing how well you resist. I-if I may?"

Buffy nodded and prepared herself, though she wasn't entirely certain what to expect.

"_Leglimens!_" Giles swam in front of her eyes, and then vanished; image after image was racing through her mind like a flickering film so vivid it blinded her to her surroundings.

She was eleven again, sitting in a darkened room, lit only by a single candle. Tears were streaming down her face as she shivered from the cold. The door opened and a black-robed figure stepped in and grabbed her by the wrist … she was down by the lake at Hogwarts, on her knees, dry-heaving, and Hermione was rubbing her back soothingly as she sobbed out her anger and betrayal at her parents … she was standing in the girls bathroom, one hand stretched slightly out to keep Hermione behind her as they stared up at a twelve-foot-tall mountain troll … she was sitting by the lake, staring at the stars as Hermione approached.

Buffy didn't want to see that memory played out again, and she gave a sharp mental shove at the intrusion within her mind. The images had suddenly stopped and she looked up at Giles.

"Did you see everything I saw?" Buffy asked.

"Flashes of it," Giles replied. "I'm not certain where the troll entered into things."

Buffy chuckled slightly, grinning at the memory. That was the event that had sealed her friendship with Ron and Harry and had strengthened her friendship with Hermione.

"Halloween of first year," Buffy explained. "Quirrell let a troll into the school. I uh…well, I killed it."

Giles looked at her, his eyes wide with shock. "Good lord."

"Must have been my Potential Slayer side kicking in early," Buffy mused. "How'd I do with the Occlu-thingie anyway?"

Giles rolled his eyes. He knew that Buffy knew perfectly well what the proper name was. It was a strange habit that she had picked up from Xander, massacring the names of people and items just to get a reaction from people.

"For a first attempt you did rather well. The trick of it is to clear your mind, let go of all emotion," Giles explained. "Some people are able to delve into your mind without a spell, and without your knowledge, so it is best for you to remain calm at all times. You need to be able to control your emotions, especially anger, fear and hatred, which I assure you, will be at the foreground when you are dealing with Death-Eaters."

Buffy nodded, taking in his words. She took a deep breath to focus her thoughts and nodded at Giles, who raised his wand at her once more. "_Leglimens!_"

------------------------

Deprived of love since the tragic demise of his parents and his twin sister, fourteen-year-old Harry Potter thought he had found solace in his steady girlfriend at Hogwarts, Muggle-born Hermione Granger. Little did he know that he would shortly be suffering yet another emotional blow in a life already littered with personal loss.

_Miss Granger, a plain but ambitious girl, seems to have a taste for famous wizards that Harry alone cannot satisfy. Since the arrival at Hogwarts of Viktor Krum, Bulgaria Seeker and hero of the last World Quidditch Cup, Miss Granger has been toying with both boys' affections. Krum, who is openly smitten with the devious Miss Grander has alre4ady invited her to visit him in Bulgaria over the summer holidays, and insists that he has 'never felt this way about any other girl.'_

_However, it might not be Miss Granger's doubtful natural charms which have captured these unfortunate boys' interests._

_'She's really ugly', says Pansy Parkinson, a pretty and vivacious fourth-year student, 'but she'd be well up to making a Love Potion, she's quite brainy. I think that's how she's doing it.'_

------------------------

"I don't suppose we can get Rita Skeeter fired anytime soon can we?" Buffy asked plaintively. "She's so full of sh-"

"Buffy!"

"What?! She is!" Buffy insisted. "'Mione would _never_ use a Love Potion on _anyone_. Besides…she and Harry are just friends."

Giles narrowed his eyes at his Potential Slayer. "And how would you know that?"

"Because…I just do," Buffy insisted. "She's not like that."

Giles knew for a fact that the young girl would never jeopardise the last two and a half years of work to write to her friend at Hogwarts, so he knew that Buffy hadn't been owling the girl.

He rolled his eyes and let it drop.

"Has Dumbledore found any leads on who he thinks might have put Harry's name in for the Tournament?" Buffy asked, trying to find a new topic, while hiding the rising blushing in her cheeks.

Giles shook his head sadly. "Nothing as yet. Karkaroff put up too much of a fuss for it to have been him. And unless it was one of the older Slytherin students, which Dumbledore very much doubts, we still have no leads."

"At least he's made it through the tasks so far," Buffy commented. "And there's another three months before the Final Task." She paused for a moment before lowering her voice and continuing, "and only five months until I go back home."

"Actually…there's only two and a half months left before you go back," Giles replied quietly.

Buffy's head jerked upwards and she stared at him incredulously.

"Pardon?"

"Your father wrote to me last night to request that I bring you back to the estate on June twentieth," Giles explained. "I was going to tell you tonight."

"That's four day before the final task. Something's going to happen that night," Buffy said quietly. "I can feel it."

Giles nodded his agreement. "Dumbledore has arranged for Professors to be patrolling around the edges of the maze for the final task. He'll be in control of the task the entire time."

Buffy nodded, still feeling a little wary, but knowing that she could do nothing about whatever was going to happen.

"Two and a half months," Buffy mused quietly. "I suppose that means I have to get rid of this American accent before I go back."

------------------------

She was riding on the back of an eagle owl, soaring through the clear sky towards an old, ivy-covered house set high on a hillside. Lower and lower they flew until they reached a dark and broken window in the upper storey of the house, and entered. Now they were flying along a gloomy passageway, to a room at the very end…through the door they went, into a dark room whose windows were boarded up…

_Buffy had left the owl's back…she was watching as it fluttered across the room, into a chair with its back to her…there were two dark shapes on the floor beside the chair, both of them stirring._

_One was a huge snake…the other was a man…a short, balding man, a man with watery eyes and a pointed nose…he was wheezing and sobbing on the heart rug._

_'You are in luck Wormtail,' said a cold, high-pitched voice from the depths of the chair in which the owl had landed. 'You are very fortunate indeed. Your blunder has not ruined everything. He is dead.'_

_'My Lord!' gasped the man on the floor. 'My Lord, I am…I am so pleased…and so sorry…'_

_'Now, Wormtail,' said the cold voice, 'perhaps one more little reminder why I will not tolerate another blunder from you…'_

_'My Lord…no…I beg you.'_

_The tip of a wand emerged from the depths of the chair. It was pointing at Wormtail. '_Crucio_,' said the cold voice._

Wormtail screamed, screamed as though every nerve in his body was on fire, the screaming filled Buffy's ears as a sharp and sudden pain seared inside her mind.

Giles was awoken by the high-pitched screaming of his young charge. He raced up to her room and flung open the door, half-expecting to see some sort of demon trying to kill his Potential Slayer. What he saw instead was Buffy, twisting and turning within the quilts of her bed, sweat drenching her body, her face screwed up in pain, the heel of her palm pressing into her forehead, as though she was trying to use the self-inflicted pain to keep her grounded.

Giles grabbed the quilt covers off the bed and threw them to the floor, grabbing hold of the girl and pulling her into a tight embrace, the sudden movement waking her from the dream.

She struggled for several moments, blinded by panic, before she recognised her surroundings. She buried her face in Giles' shoulder and allowed him to rock her gently back and forth as she tried to get her breathing under control.

She shivered with the cold, her body cooling down now that she was no longer sweating in fear. Giles reached for the comforter and pulled it up around her, rubbing her arms through the quilt.

"Are you alright?" Giles whispered softly.

"Nightmare. Headache," she replied, summing up the two main problems.

"Again?"

Buffy nodded, scrunching her eyes closed, trying to forget the blinding pain that had erupted so quickly inside her head.

"Do you think it's prophetic?" Buffy whispered. "You said Slayers sometimes had dreams of the future."

"Perhaps," Giles replied softly.

"It felt real…he used the Cruciatus Curse…"

"You've experienced the Cruciatus before, haven't you?" Giles asked.

Buffy just nodded, not wanting to think about the three times she'd been subjected to the Cruciatus Curse. It had been beyond pain, and it had made her extremely willing to comply with any and all demands made by Lucius and Dominique.

Giles scowled and tightened his grip on the young girl that he'd come to regard as a daughter.

"It felt so real," she whispered. "But…whoever it was that it hit…they were…evil. His name was Wormtail."

Giles' scowl deepened.

"Peter Pettigrew," Giles said coldly.

Buffy pulled back slightly, the iciness in Giles' voice startling her slightly.

"The one who betrayed the Potters?" Buffy asked.

Giles nodded. "He was the one who betrayed them…it was confirmed that he's still alive. And I would wager that he is in Voldemort's employ once more."

"It's coming soon Giles…I know it."

"And we'll be ready for it."

"And if we aren't?" Buffy asked quietly.

Giles hesitated, but looked away, unable to meet Buffy's gaze in the darkness. If they weren't ready…it would be the end of the world.

------------------------

"I can't believe that you're leaving tomorrow," Willow said sadly. "I mean, I knew you were only going to be here for three years, but…it just doesn't seem like it's been that long."

Buffy nodded her agreement. She was torn between wanting to stay in Sunnydale with Willow and Xander, and wanting to go back to Hogwarts. While she desperately wanted to see Hermione again (and Blaise of course…seeing Harry, Ron and Draco wouldn't hurt either) she didn't want to really go back and not be able to tell the others the truth about herself.

She would step into the role she'd perfected over the last few years as the perfect daughter of a loyal Death-Eater. She was confident that she could pull it off. The muggle drama lessons that Giles had encouraged her to take had helped her to distance herself from what she would be doing and saying and what she truly thought. It would be easier to remain true to her training as a Slayer and as a spy for the Order of the Phoenix. Her role as a Death-Eaters daughter was nothing more than an act. A character piece. The femme fatale as the muggle drama teacher always called it.

Apparently, no one under the age of eighteen was allowed to join the Order, so she was incredibly privileged to even be in on the secret that it was still in operation, even though the Death-Eaters technically were no longer a threat, according to the Ministry of Magic.

"It went quickly," Buffy agreed, no longer allowing the American accent that had tinged her voice show through. She'd trained herself back to her proper British accent over the last few months, knowing that her father had no clue where she was actually being taught the 'old-ways'.

"You won't forget us will you?" Xander asked sadly.

Buffy shook her head, smiling a little. "How could I? You two have been my cornerstone here, and I won't ever forget what you did for me. Both of you."

Willow launched herself at the Potential Slayer, hugging her tightly. Xander stepped forward and engulfed the two girls within his arms, the trio holding onto each other and trying to contain their tears.

"You'll keep in touch won't you?" Willow asked.

Buffy nodded and gently wiped the tear that was trailing down Willow's cheek away, swiping at it with her thumb. "I'll write to you whenever I can, I swear it."

"Stay safe Buff," Xander said. He may not have been entirely in the loop about the wizarding world, or about Slayers and Watchers, but he knew that what Willow and Buffy were learning about was incredibly serious and very dangerous. And while it irked him that neither girl had informed him of what they were truly up to, he knew that asking questions only put the girls in danger of some sort, and he would rather die than ever put his best friends in danger.

Buffy gave them a final shaky smile, before turning and walking away from them, praying to whatever Higher Power existed that she would see them again one day. She didn't let her hopes rise too high though.

----

Buffy's back in England for the next chapter, and for the Final Task of the Triwizard Tournament….insert creepy music here

Again, sorry for the lack of updates. Mega thanks for all your reviews!

Toodles.

DKG.


	20. The Ceremony

CHAPTER TWENTY: THE CEREMONY

Buffy stood quietly taking in the sights of her childhood bedroom. Everything within it felt foreign, as though it belonged to a stranger. In some ways, it did. While the belongings may have been hers, she had changed so much since she'd last been within her old bedroom.

There was a soft knocking at her bedroom door, and she breathed in deeply, trying to focus her thoughts and her emotions as Giles had taught her to, through Occlumency, and through meditation techniques. "Yes?"

The door opened, and Buffy's heart caught in her throat. She fought to bite back a smile as she saw her mother enter the room, looking as beautiful as Buffy remembered her to be.

Belinda stepped forward, looking her daughter up and down, trying to take in all the changes that her youngest girl had gone through. She had grown and matured since Belinda had last seen her, and even though Belinda knew that Buffy wasn't actually hers, she had raised the girl for ten years. Even though Ben may not have wanted her to care for Buffy, she had come to do so anyway.

"Oh, my sweet Buffy," Belinda whispered, pulling Buffy into a hug.

Buffy felt tears prick at her eyes, and she returned the hug gently. "It's just Beth now, mother," Buffy said softly.

Belinda was surprised by the formal way her daughter spoke. Her accent was refined, her manner of speaking was slow and deliberate. Her daughter sounded eerily like Ben, and that was considerably disturbing. "Beth," Belinda repeated, remembering a time when the young girl in front of her had proudly stated that her name was Ellie. How different would this child's life have been had Ben not found her during the last of the raids on the headquarters of the Death-Eaters so many years ago. How different would Buffy have been if she'd stayed as Ellie and grown up with her true parents.

"Have you missed me mother?" Buffy asked, knowing she shouldn't have asked, but unable to help herself. She had always loved her family, and even though she had spent the last three years learning how to manipulate them, she still wanted to know that she had been missed.

Belinda smiled softly and nodded, touching Buffy's cheek with motherly affection. "More than you can imagine."

In the doorway, Ben Zabini cleared his throat, and Buffy stepped away from Belinda, straightening her posture and raising her eyes to meet her fathers.

"I'd like a word with you Beth, if you don't mind," Ben stated, though it was clearly not a request.

Buffy nodded. "As you wish father."

-

Below the calm exterior, Buffy was a bundle of nervousness. She was panicking, wondering if she could pull this whole thing off. She'd been preparing for this day for three years, and somehow, the day had come far too soon. She took deep and even breaths and forced herself to remain calm and focused, remembering her Occlumency lessons, knowing that if she made it through this first meeting with her father, things would only get better from there.

"How have you been?" Ben asked, though by his tone of voice, Buffy knew it was a question of formality rather than one of actual interest.

"Very well, thank you. Mr Giles sends his regards," Buffy replied steadily.

"And how is Mr Giles?" Ben asked, getting straight to the point of the conversation.

"In excellent health, I believe," Buffy replied.

"And you found his tutelage helpful?"

It was at that moment that Buffy just knew her father had begun to gently probe the surface of her mind. With practiced ease, she directed her father to the thoughts she could allow him to see, and clamped down on the feelings of anger, hatred, and slight guilt for lying to the man who had raised her.

"Certainly father," Buffy replied. "He's a wonderful teacher."

That was the other trick of the trade that Giles had taught her. Answer the question with the fewest amount of words. The less you lie, the less likely you are to be caught out.

"Mr Giles said that there was nothing more that he could teach you about the true wizarding world," Ben said. "What I wish to know is how loyal you truly are. Barely four months at Hogwarts, and you'd betrayed your heritage. I would hate for that to happen again."

"I'd like to apologise for my behaviour. I was young, foolish. I am sorry for shaming you, father," Buffy replied. "I assure you sir, it won't happen again."

Ben nodded and stepped towards his daughter, placing a hand on her shoulder and smiling in a way that sent chills down her spine.

"I'm glad to hear that. Of course, you'll understand that you won't be returning to Hogwarts until the new school year begins."

Buffy nodded, having expected as much.

"These next few days will be…life-changing, I'm certain," Ben said cryptically. "We have to be prepared for anything."

"Then the rumours are true?" Buffy asked, being certain not to show emotion with the question. "Mr Giles mentioned that things were looking up for the true followers."

Ben regarded his daughter carefully, searching her face and the top layers of her mind for a hint of anything to make her show her true colours. He could find nothing and he smiled inwardly. His lord would be pleased with him. He'd fashioned the perfect Death-Eater out of the daughter of James and Lily Potter. It was the very thing that Lord Voldemort had wanted, and he would be honoured above all others. Sending her away to be trained with no outside influences had been one of his better choices. His daughter had lost her softness, and her love of muggles and half-bloods.

"Oh yes Beth…things are definitely looking up."

-

She knew something was coming, though she didn't know what. She'd tried sending an owl to Giles, but she'd been interrupted by her father while she was writing it, and she'd had to magically erase everything she'd written. She hadn't had another chance to contact her mentor about her suspicions either.

She wasn't even sure what was about to happen, but her stomach was twisted into knots of nervousness. On the day of the final task, she heard her father speaking in muted tones with someone in his office.

"Tonight?" her father asked quietly. "Everything is set?"

"We just need the final ingredients," the voice replied, sounding quiet and very nervous.

"And our friend within Hogwarts has everything in place?" Ben asked.

"He sent an owl confirming it just now," the voice replied.

"Excellent," her father said slowly, his voice cold and calculating.

"And your…uh –daughter?" the voice enquired. "She is ready to take her place?"

Ben chuckled softly. "Trust me old friend, she has been well taught. Our lord will be extremely pleased with us."

The door opened, and Buffy quickly ducked down the hallway to ensure her father and his quest didn't see her. She peeked around the corner just in time to see the visitor step out of her father's office. He was a short man, balding with a rather pinched face. He resembled a rat of some kind, and Buffy could barely contain her gasp of shock. She'd seen him before. In her dream, not three months ago. She'd dreamt of him being tortured by the Cruciatus Curse. Wormtail, he'd been called. The man named Peter Pettigrew, the one who had betrayed the Potter family.

She quickly raced back to her room, whistling for her owl to come to the window, as she scribbled a quick note to Giles and one to Dumbledore as well. She waited several minutes, with no sign of Samson, the owl. She called again, but nothing happened.

"Oh, Beth, if you're trying to send your sister a note, I've already sent Samson on an errand," came the casual voice of her father from the doorway. Buffy forced herself to remain calm, and quietly charmed both notes to look like a long letter to her sister.

"Oh," Buffy replied calmly as she turned to face her father. "I was wondering where he'd got to. It's been a while since I've written to Blaise, I just wanted to send her a quick note."

"You'll just have to wait until tomorrow I suppose," Ben said.

Buffy nodded and put the parchment back on the desk.

"Oh, by the way, we'll be going out tonight. You may want to dress warmly," Ben cautioned.

Buffy didn't even have time to question where they were going before Ben had already turned and walked away. Buffy cursed beneath her breath, wondering how on earth she was meant to warn her Watcher and the Headmaster of Hogwarts if she didn't have an owl.

The only other method of communication was through the floo network, and there would be no way that she'd be able to talk to anyone through that with her father within the house. She sighed, close to tears.

From what she'd heard of the conversation between her father and Wormtail, the Dark Lord was going to rise again. And there wasn't anything she could do about it.

-

Buffy was desperately wishing she knew how to apparate, or how to create a portkey. Seeing as she didn't know how to do either, she was stuck in a dark graveyard that was giving her the creeps. She'd been in graveyards before in Sunnydale, but never before had she felt such a feeling of foreboding.

She was watching as Wormtail handled a piece of cloth that looked as though he was cradling a baby. But there was no way that the dark piece of material wasn't holding something completely evil.

"What's happening?" Buffy asked quietly.

Ben shook his head, his eyes shining with glee. "Just watch Beth."

There was suddenly a loud thud, and everything seemed to stop for a moment. Buffy's eyes widened and she stared in shock at the boy who she hadn't seen since the end of her First Year at Hogwarts. His gaze however, was stuck on Wormtail who was holding the cloth in his arms. Next to Harry was a tall blonde haired boy who was looking terrified.

Harry suddenly fell to his knees, his scar exploding with pain, and Buffy felt a piercing migraine going through her mind, the likes she'd never felt before. She managed to remain standing, trying to make sure her father's attention remained on Pettigrew and whatever was happening in front of them. The pain, however, was worse than any of the other times she'd felt these mind-numbing, skull-crushing blindingly painful headaches.

There was suddenly a cold high-pitched voice in the air. "_Kill the spare."_

It happened so suddenly, that neither Harry nor Buffy had a chance to react. A green light shot out from Peter Pettigrew's wand, aimed at the tall blonde boy. Within half a second, the boy had been thrown back several feet, and lay spread-eagled, his face gone pale, and his eyes open, looking shocked.

Buffy swallowed hard, and forced herself to remain calm. She hadn't spent three years in America learning how to play a part, just to throw it all away at her first true test. There was nothing she could do for the blonde boy at all. He was dead, and nothing was going to bring him back.

Pettigrew approached Harry as ropes appeared out of nowhere, tying the black-haired boy to a gravestone that read TOM RIDDLE. "You!" Harry accused.

Pettigrew said nothing, and Buffy felt a sudden pressure on her wrist. She looked up at her father, clearing her mind completely of her disgust, her fear, her absolute horror of what was happening.

"Stay here," Ben said sharply.

"Yes father," Buffy replied softly.

Ben nodded, happy with her compliance. He stalked towards Pettigrew, and joined him near a cauldron that was bubbling.

Buffy couldn't help but stare at Harry, who was struggling with the ropes that were keeping him attached to the headstone. Buffy inched her way closer to him, keeping one eye on her father and Pettigrew. She couldn't afford to give herself away, and yet she couldn't just stand by and watch as her father and Peter Pettigrew murdered Harry in front of her. He'd been a true friend to her in those first months at Hogwarts, and she couldn't forget it.

"We're ready," Buffy heard her father whisper.

Pettigrew nodded, and then the cold high-pitched voice spoke again, sending shovers down Buffy's spine. "_Hurry._"

Pettigrew removed the small scaly creature from the cloth that he'd been holding earlier and placed it carefully into the cauldron. Harry was silently praying for it to drown, and Buffy knew that whatever was about to happen was definitely not a good thing. She slowly reached into her robes and took out her wand, aiming it at Harry.

"_Ademptio_," she muttered softly.

The ropes that were binding Harry loosened, and the Boy-Who-Lived looked around, completely startled. Buffy tucked her wand up her sleeve and continued looking at her father, completely calmly, not allowing Harry to see who it was that had freed him from his bonds.

Harry reached up and ripped out the material that had been roughly shoved into his mouth to keep him quiet. He shakily got to his legs, pulling out his wand.

"_Bone of the father, unknowingly given, you will renew your son_."

The surface of the grave at Harry's feet cracked, and Harry jumped back, startled, not sure what was happening. A fine trickle of dust rose into the air and settled in the cauldron.

Unfortunately for Harry, the movement alerted the two Death-Eaters of his sudden state of freedom. Ben lunged towards Harry, grabbing the boy and holding his arms in a tight arm-lock. Ben grabbed Harry's wand and threw it to the ground, just out of Harry's leg reach.

"Thought you could fool us, did you boy?" Ben whispered softly in Harry's ear.

Buffy swallowed hard, terrified that her father would kill Harry. But, whatever was happening, there must have been a reason that Harry had been brought here. They wouldn't kill him just yet, she was certain of it. But she just didn't know how to ensure that Harry would get out of there alive.

Ben brought his own wand up to Harry's chin, and Harry instinctively tried to pull his head away. He knew how dangerous it was to have a wand pointed at him, and he knew that there was probably no way he was going to get out of this alive. But there was no way that he was going to go down without a fight.

By the cauldron, Pettigrew whimpered pathetically, hesitating over the next portion of the spell. Ben scoffed in disgust.

"Get on with it Pettigrew," Ben scolded.

Pettigrew whimpered again, but breathed in deeply to try and calm himself. He pulled a long, thin shining silver dagger from inside his robes.

"_Flesh - of the servant - w-willing given - you will – revive - your master,_" Pettigrew managed to sob out.

With that, Pettigrew stretched out his right hand over the cauldron. He gripped the dagger very tightly in his left hand and then swung it upwards.

Both Harry and Buffy realised what Wormtail was about to do a second before it happened. They both closed their eyes as tightly as possible and looked to the left, trying to block out the image forming in the darkness of their minds of what Pettigrew had just done. And while they may not have seen it, the high-pitched screaming affirmed what Pettigrew had just done. There was a sickening splash, and the potion turned a burning red.

"_B-blood of the enemy…forcibly taken…you will…resurrect your foe_."

Pettigrew stumbled towards Harry, who struggled once more against Ben's tight grasp. Pettigrew used the silver dagger to cut into the crook of Harry's right arm. Pettigrew fumbled in his pocket for a glass phial, and held it at Harry's cut, so that a dribble of blood fell into it. Pettigrew didn't go straight to the cauldron though. He walked towards Buffy, who looked at him, and then towards her father, completely confused.

"Hold out your arm Beth," Ben instructed.

Buffy couldn't afford to hesitate, even through her horror. She held out her left hand, and Pettigrew cut a line diagonally across her palm. Reflexively, Buffy's hand shot out to hit her tormentor, and she made a grab for the phial, trying to dislodge it from Pettigrew's grip.

"Beth!" Ben yelled.

"Sorry father," Buffy replied softly. "Just a reflex."

"Well, learn to curb them," Ben said, his voice soft and threatening.

Pettigrew had only split a miniscule amount of the blood from the phial, and he made his way back to the cauldron. Buffy warred with herself, trying to work out just what to do. She was torn between stopping Pettigrew and giving herself away. She knew what needed to be done though.

"_Incendio_," she whispered, keeping her wand hidden beneath her sleeve, but cautiously aiming it at Pettigrew's robes.

A small flame suddenly appeared, and Pettigrew jumped away from the cauldron, believing the flames to have come from the fire burning beneath the boiling pot. He stamped them out quickly, and Buffy frowned.

"_N**usquam esse,**_**" she whispered, and the flames beneath the cauldron flickered out, the liquid in the cauldron ceasing to bubble, as it was supposed to do.**

**"The fire," Ben yelled angrily. "Pettigrew, stoke the fire."**

**Pettigrew whimpered, but moved forward to relight the flames.**

**"_Hesito_," Buffy whispered, aiming at Pettigrew. **

**The rat-like man hesitated, his wand drawn, but unsure of what he had been about to do. The liquid gurgled dangerously. It wasn't supposed to be making that sound, both Death-Eaters knew that much.**

**"Pettigrew!" Ben yelled. "The fire!"**

Buffy had only one other spell that she could think of. It would be dangerous to try, especially seeing as she knew that her father would be immediately suspicious. Schooling her features into an unreadable mask, she aimed her wand at the cauldron, and breathed in deeply.

"_Cado_," she whispered.

The cauldron immediately toppled over, the liquid spilling over the ground. Pettigrew jumped back from the boiling liquid tat the same moment that Harry was thrown to the ground by Ben, who rushed forward to see what had gone wrong.

Buffy remained where she was, looking on with a worried expression, as though she genuinely was upset by the fact that the ritual had failed.

Ben glanced up at his daughter, but was reassured by the worried look on her face. It wasn't a look of guilt; it was a look of genuine concern that the ritual had failed.

Harry got to his feet, standing shakily, casting a wary glance at the contents of the spilled cauldron. He wanted nothing more than to run, but he knew he needed to know if the ritual had failed. He wasn't entirely sure what exactly the ritual meant, but he had a hunch about what it was for. They were trying to bring Lord Voldemort back, and he needed to know beyond a shadow of a doubt whether or not it had failed.

Which led the other question. How exactly had the cauldron suddenly tipped over? Pettigrew and Ben seemed to be confused by the sudden change, so it obviously wasn't meant to have happened. He glanced towards Buffy and tried to catch her eyes.

What Harry couldn't work out was who the girl actually was. She seemed somewhat familiar, but with everything going on, his mind couldn't quite process where he'd seen her before. He had a feeling that she'd been the one to free him from the ropes, and he'd bet a galleon that she'd been the one to tip the cauldron over. He couldn't prove it though, and her bright green eyes gave nothing away.

His attention was suddenly caught by a small movement coming from the scaly creature that Pettigrew had placed in the cauldron earlier. It twitched, and he backed up, accidentally stepping on his wand. He could have hit himself for not picking it up earlier. He bent down and felt comforted by the familiar piece of wood in his hand.

The creature continued to twitch, and all Harry and Buffy could do was stare at it in shock. It was almost a grotesque mocking of a budding flower growing to full bloom, and both teenagers were horrified as the scaly creature slowly formed into a tall, skeletally thin man, rising to stand majestically in the shadows.

Pettigrew scrambled forward, and retrieved the black cloth that he had been carrying the creature in earlier, and draped it over the skeletal figure. The thin man stepped out of the shadows, staring at Harry, and Harry stared back at the face that had haunted his dreams for the last three years. Whiter than a skull, with wide, livid scarlet eyes, and a nose that was as flat as a snake's, with slits for nostrils.

Lord Voldemort had risen again.

-

**Ademptio **– Latin for 'a taking away'. Thought it was kinda appropriate.

**Nusquam esse **– Latin for 'not to exist'.

**Cado – ****Latin for '**_to fall, drop, plummet, topple.'_

_Sorry for the delay in updates. Enjoy, and I hope to get the next chapter out soonish._

_Toodles._

_K._


	21. The Discovery

_CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE: THE DISCOVERY_

_Harry took a step back but froze at a soft hissing sound that came from behind him. He chanced a look and saw a large twelve-foot long snake circling him dangerously, its tongue flickering as it hissed menacingly. He froze, and looked back at Voldemort, knowing that his chances of escape were limited._

_Voldemort took a moment to take stock of his new body, staring in wonder at his long spider-like fingers. He turned to look at the two Death-Eaters, his bright red eyes boring into those of his followers._

_"Wormtail…Zabini…I would never have imagined you two to be the ones to restore me," Voldemort said, his voice cold and chilling. _

_"I have fulfilled your bidding my lord," Ben replied softly, bowing submissively. "I have ever been your servant, completing your noble work."_

_Voldemort looked at him with vague interest, and Ben straightened. He looked towards Buffy who stared back calmly, keeping her horror, disgust and anger deeply buried. Ben motioned for her to come closer, and she managed to take her place at his side._

_Voldemort looked her over impassively, not certain what Ben had meant. His eyes suddenly widened, and his bony hands reached out to stroke Buffy's cheeks. He jerked her chin upwards, looking her in the eyes._

_"Yes," he drawled out slowly. "Yes, I see. This is most pleasing Zabini. You will be rewarded for this, I assure you."_

_Ben bowed once more to hide the smile on his face. "Thank you for honouring me, my lord," he said quietly._

_Buffy remained calm, keeping her eyes downcast, knowing that if she looked at the newly risen Dark Lord, she wouldn't be able to keep the hate away. She could feel him gently probing her mind, and she concentrated on the memories of the lessons that had been given to her by Lucius Malfoy and Dominique Quirrell._

_Seemingly satisfied, Voldemort dropped his hand and looked towards Pettigrew. "Hold out your arm," he ordered._

_"Oh master, thank you," Pettigrew whimpered, extending the bleeding stump, but Voldemort just laughed. "The other arm Wormtail."_

_Voldemort bent down and pulled out Pettigrew's left arm; he forced the sleeve of Pettigrew's robes up past his elbow to reveal the vivid red tattoo on his arm. Voldemort examined it carefully, ignoring Pettigrew's uncontrollable weeping._

_"It is back, they will all have noticed it. And now, we shall see…now we shall know."_

_He pressed his long, white forefinger to the brand on Pettigrew's arm. _

_Harry's forehead exploded in pain once more, and Buffy felt a piercing migraine pass through her brain. She flinched, but remained standing, unlike Harry who fell to his knees once more._

_Moments later, over a dozen Death-Eaters began apparating into the area, looking at Lord Voldemort in shocked disbelief. Several of them fell to their knees in front of the skeletal man, and then began forming a circle around where Harry was struggling to get to his feet, the twelve foot long snake still circling him, keeping him in place. _

_Buffy stood completely still, taking in the scene before her. She managed to hold back a gasp as she recognised Giles among the gathered group. Even with his cloak and white mask, she still recognised him by the ring on his pinkie finger. He looked directly at her, and nodded almost imperceptibly. She returned the gesture, and listened as Voldemort began explaining exactly what had happened, and how he had been restored by his faithful servants, and how another of his followers had been at Hogwarts manipulating things to ensure that Harry was the first to get the Triwizard Tournament Cup and be portkeyed to the cemetery._

_It took nearly twenty minutes for the Dark Lord to explain everything that had happened since he'd been defeated by the two-year-old Harry, and the Death-Eaters listened in rapt attention, as Harry stood in the centre, the snake continuing to circle him, occasionally snapping towards his heels to keep Harry aware of the snake's presence. Harry was trying to work out an escape route._

_Unfortunately for the Boy-Who-Lived, there didn't seem to be any chance to escape. He was surrounded on all sides, with no opportunity to get past the snake, Nagini._

_Voldemort stepped forward into the circle, and Harry took a step back, almost forgetting about the large snake circling him. Voldemort instructed the snake to retreat, causing Nagini to hiss unhappily, but comply with Voldemort's instructions. _

_"You have been taught how to duel, Harry Potter?" Voldemort asked._

_Buffy was shocked back to attention. She'd only been half listening, but she couldn't believe what was about to happen. She was beginning to panic, though she wasn't really all that certain as to why. She knew that she didn't want her old friend hurt of course, but there was something more to it than that. The thought of Harry being hurt caused her stomach to clench in fear, and her throat to close up in a complete panic. Voldemort hurting Harry was not _something she wanted to happen at all.

_It wouldn't be a fair fight at all either. Giles had taught her that Death-Eaters had no honour whatsoever. They would attack in the dead of the night when people were unprepared to defend themselves, so she shouldn't have been so surprised that Voldemort would duel with Harry to the death when Harry was only fourteen-years-old._

_"And now you face me like a man, straight-backed and proud, the way your father died," Voldemort taunted._

_Harry glared at the man who had killed his family. He could feel his hatred welling within him. The man in front of him had taken his entire family away from him, and Harry knew that there was very little he could do to get his revenge._

_"And now, we duel!"_

_Before Harry could even think of a spell to fire, he was hit with the Cruciatus Curse. Buffy struggled to stay in her position away from the circle, wanting nothing more than to run to her old friend and fall to her knees beside him and break the spell. Harry was screaming loudly and the Death-Eaters just watched either impassively, or with maniacal grins of satisfaction on their faces._

_Voldemort released the spell and stepped towards Harry, grabbing the boy by his cloaks and hauling him into a standing position. Thin bony fingers gripped Harry's hand, directing his wand away from Voldemort, and Harry felt a cold shiver of fear run down his spine._

_"I once offered you your parents back, do you remember?" Voldemort whispered, for Harry's ears alone._

_Harry said nothing, but he could remember it as though it had happened only the day before instead of three years ago. _

_"I'll make you another offer boy," Voldemort continued. "Join me. Join me, and you and your sister will be reunited."_

_That did get Harry's complete attention. His eyes swung up to look directly into the scarlet eyes of Voldemort. The Dark Lord gave a low and soft chuckle, and the sarcastic sneer that graced Voldemort's lips was more terrifying than anything that Harry had ever seen before in his life._

_Voldemort grabbed Harry's chin and forced him to look in Buffy's direction. Buffy caught his eyes, and Harry saw the flash of curiousity in them before they hardened into the unreadable green depths they'd been before._

_"She is beautiful, is she not, Potter?" Voldemort whispered. "And she is mine to command. Raised to be loyal to me. If you'll join me, you could finally have part of your family back."_

_"You're a liar," Harry said through clenched teeth, though he couldn't take his eyes from Buffy after what Voldemort had just told him._

_"You don't believe me?" Voldemort asked. "Just look at her eyes, boy. Your mother's eyes. Your eyes. I remember how beautiful her screams sounded when she was younger, the taste of her blood, the sounds of her wimpering. And now, she's become the perfect Death-Eater. Wouldn't your parents be proud?"_

_Harry pulled back and spat in Voldemort's face, catching the Dark-Lord off guard, and managing to struggle out of Voldemort's bony clutches._

_"Ellie!" Harry yelled, racing towards his sister, desperate to reach her._

_He was cut off by the Death-Eaters, and thrown to the ground at Voldemort's feet. The Death-Eaters closed ranks around him, and he could no longer see his sister. He struggled to his feet, his wand aimed at Voldemort._

_"You won't join me then?" Voldemort asked mockingly. _

_Harry gripped his wand tightly, wanting desperately to make another break for his sister, but with the Death-Eaters surrounding him, there was nothing he could do. He couldn't properly comprehend what he'd just been told. His sister was still alive. She'd been raised by Death-Eaters. She was loyal to Voldemort. It seemed like the best of dreams, but a nightmare at the same time._

_Harry tightened his grip on his wand, his eyes hard. As Harry shouted "Expelliarmus!__", Voldemort cried "Avada Kedavra!__"_

_A jet of green light issued from Voldemort's wand just as a jet of red light blasted from Harry's. The lights met in mid-air and suddenly Harry felt his wand vibrating as though an electric charge was surging through it. A narrow beam of light, a bright deep gold connected the two wands. _

_Chaos ensued as both Harry and Voldemort were picked up from the ground and deposited several feet away, outside the circle, a golden cage of bright light creating a dome around them, and then to Harry's complete and utter shock, Voldemort's wand began to emit echoing screams of pain, followed by a dense, smoky hand, more shouts, and then something much larger. The ghostly figure of Cedric Diggory. More screams came, and then another body. And old man, followed by Bertha Jorkins. _

_Harry breathed in deeply as he saw the next shadowed figure, a young woman with long hair emerged and looked at Harry._

_"Your father's coming," Lily said, her voice taking on an ethereal, distant, and echoing sound. "It will be alright, hold on."_

_Harry only had to wait a few more moments until he saw his father emerge from Voldemort's wand and move closer towards Harry._

_"When the connection is broken, we will longer for only moments, but we will give you time. You must get to the Portkey, it will return you to Hogwarts. Do you understand, Harry?" James asked, his voice also distant and echoing._

_"What about Ellie?" Harry asked, desperately wanting to look over his shoulder to see where his sister was. He knew he had to keep the connection between the wands though._

_Both his parents gave small smiles. "It isn't her time yet," Lily replied softly. "There are certain things that each of you must do first."_

_"All is not as it seems," James added. "You must do this Harry. Be ready to run…do it now."_

_"NOW!" Harry yelled; he didn't think he could have held the connection for another moment anyway. He pulled his wand upwards with an almighty wench, and the golden thread broke. The shadowy figures of Voldemort's victims did not disappear – they were closing in upon Voldemort, shielding Harry from his gaze._

_Harry ran as he had never run in his life, knocking two stunned Death-Eaters aside as he passed; ducking and dodging curses, pelting towards Cedric's body. He jumped over the cup and dived as he heard more wand blasts behind him; stretching out his hand to grab Cedric's arm. Harry's hand closed on Cedric's wrist; one tombstone stood between him and Voldemort, but Cedric was too heavy to carry and the Cup was out of reach,_

_Harry saw Voldemort's lips curl into a smile, the Dark Lord's wand raised._

_"Accio__!" Harry yelled, pointing his wand at the Triwizard Cup. It flew into the air, and soared towards him. Harry caught the handle, and he heard Voldemort's screams of fury at the same moment as he felt the jerk behind his navel that meant the Portkey had worked._

_Ooo, Harry knows now. What happens next?_

Many thanks for all your feedback and support.

Toodles.

DKG.


	22. The Deception

_CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO: THE DECEPTION_

_Harry couldn't help himself. He was pacing around the nearly empty common room, muttering to himself. Ron and Hermione watched him, exchanging worried glances every few moments. They'd never seen their friend so worked up before, and seeing as how their best friend had lived through three attacks from Voldemort, that was saying a lot. _

_"Harry, are you ever going to tell us?" Hermione asked gently. It had been two days since the third TriWizard Tournament task, and Harry still had yet to tell them what was bothering him._

_Harry paused momentarily before continuing to pace. "Voldemort," he replied succinctly._

_Ron shuddered and went to protest at the use of the Dark Lord's name, but Hermione hit him to keep him quiet. _

_"He kidnapped my sister," Harry murmured softly, barely loud enough for his two friends to hear him._

_Hermione felt a pang of hurt rush through her in sympathy for Harry. It always hurt to hear Harry talk about his family._

_"He wanted to raise her as a Death-Eater," Harry finished, finally stopping his incessant pacing and coming to a standstill in front of Hermione._

_"How do you know that?" Ron asked curiously._

_"Because I saw her," Harry replied._

_Ron and Hermione's jaws both dropped in twin looks of shock. _

_"You mean…she's still alive?" Hermione asked quietly._

_Harry nodded and began pacing again. "I saw her. She just…she just stood there while Voldemort and I were duelling. She had no clue who I was," Harry said miserably, his voice cracking slightly._

_"Did you tell Professor Dumbledore?" Hermione asked, as always, the voice of reason._

_Harry nodded and flopped down into a seat opposite Ron and Hermione. _

_"He said he'd look into it," Harry replied. "But…there was something else. When…when my wand connected with Voldemort's, and it did the uh"- _

_"Priori Incantatum," Hermione supplied._

_Harry gave her a quick grin and nodded his thanks. "Yeah, that. You know how I saw, uh…echoes of Voldemort's past spells. Well, they spoke to me. Dad told me to use the Cup as a Portkey. I asked about Ellie, and…my parents told me that it wasn't her time yet, and that not everything was as it seemed."_

_Both Ron and Hermione were silent, contemplating what had their friend so upset. Neither of them could blame Harry for being so perturbed by the new information he had. His sister was alive, but she was working for the other side. That had to be painful to deal with, and confusing because they both knew how desperately Harry wanted his family._

_"Do you know what he meant?" Ron asked curiously._

_"Not a clue," Harry replied succinctly. _

_Silence reigned once more as the trio considered what had just been said. Hermione glanced up at Harry, her eyebrows furrowed in an expression of concentration that her two best friends had seen so often._

_"Hang on," Hermione began slowly, "if she's been raised in a family of Death-Eaters, then…who raised her? Where has she been for the last twelve years? Harry, did you recognise her at all?"_

_Harry shook his head sadly. "Not a bit. I didn't get a very good look at her though. She's…we have the same eyes. My mother's eyes."_

_Harry stood up once more and resumed pacing the length of the rug in front of the fireplace. He ran his hands through his unkempt hair and sighed in frustration._

_"How could this have happened? Surely someone in the Ministry should have worked out where my sister was," Harry said angrily. _

_"Unless whoever took her worked __for__ the Ministry," Ron commented casually._

_Hermione and Harry turned to their redheaded best friend, equally bewildered looks on their faces. They turned to each other and grinned, shaking their heads in disbelief at their friend._

_"Ron, you're a genius."_

_------------------------_

_Harry, Ron and Hermione raced towards the Headmaster's office, the three of them running wildly through the hallways, praying that no Professors emerged from classrooms or offices to reprimand them for breaking school rules. Thankfully, most everyone was making the most of the warm weather outdoors and soaking up the afternoon sun._

_The came to a halt outside the statue in front of Dumbledore's office._

_"Uh…lemon drops," Harry tried. "Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans. Blood Suckers. Uh…cockroach cluster."_

_The statue began moving, a set of stairs spiralling upwards to take the trio to the Headmaster's inner sanctum. They stepped onto the staircase, and shifted their weight to balance themselves on the moving staircase._

_"I don't think we'll ever understand Professor Dumbledore," Ron commented as they waited for the stairs to stop moving._

_"I don't think __anyone__ will ever understand him," Hermione replied._

_"Ah, but the allure of a good mystery is never a bad thing Miss Granger," Dumbledore's soft and lyrical voice greeted them as the staircase stopped. "In fact, I believe that is what has brought the three of you to my office."_

_Harry, Ron and Hermione stepped off the staircase and into the office. Harry stopped dead in his tracks as he spotted a familiar face. Before he could even register his surprise, Dumbledore stepped forward._

_"Mr Potter, Miss Granger, Mr Weasley – I presume you three remember Miss Zabini," Dumbledore said softly. "She'll be returning to Hogwarts at the beginning of next term. We're just having a meeting to arrange her classes and ensure that she is up to date in her studies."_

_Buffy stood and faced the trio, maintaining her cool and calm exterior. She couldn't believe how much her friends had changed. Harry and Ron were both taller, and Hermione had lost the chubbiness from her face. She nodded her greeting to the three of them, wondering why they'd come racing into the Headmaster's office._

_"Buffy," Hermione whispered softly. _

_"Beth, if you please," Buffy replied, her voice polite and her demeanour aloof. _

_Hermione looked taken aback by the tone in Buffy's voice, but the blonde girl managed to remain calm and remember everything that she'd been training for. She hadn't taken several years of drama classes for nothing. This was a role that she had perfected, and she wouldn't reveal herself as a double agent so early in the game. _

_The only reason she was at Hogwarts was because Dumbledore had arranged with her father for a private meeting so that Buffy could be tested to ensure that she was up to date in her studies. That was the excuse Ben Zabini had been given, and he had no reason to doubt it. In actual fact, Dumbledore wanted Buffy's account of the night of Voldemort's rebirth, and any other information that Buffy could provide._

_"Beth," Hermione capitulated. "What happened to you? Where have you been the last three years?" _

_"My father thought it best if I were home-tutored," Buffy replied. "Unfortunately, due to the demands of his schedule, he could no longer give me the lessons I required, and he felt it would be better that I return to Hogwarts to continue my studies."_

_Harry's jaw was still hanging in shock. He hadn't been able to get a good enough look at the girl from the graveyard, but looking at her now, he wondered why he hadn't recognised her as his old friend. She hadn't changed all that much in the last three years, except that she was slightly taller, considerably thinner, and she'd lost the softness she'd once had. She had an athlete's physique, one similar to that of a Quidditch Player. _

_Looking at her now, he couldn't understand how he'd never connected in his mind that he and Buffy were related. They had the same eyes and the same nose. Buffy's features were more of her mothers than her fathers, but the similarities were there. He could have hit himself for being so blind. Hermione looked across at Harry and saw his completely shocked expression. It took her less than a second to connect the dots and realise that Buffy Zabini was in fact Elizabeth Potter._

_Hermione had once noticed how similar Buffy's eyes were to Harry's, but she'd never drawn the conclusion that they could be related. Most everyone believed that Elizabeth Potter had been killed by the Death-Eaters. No one had ever considered the fact that she was still alive, but trained as a Death-Eater a thought. _

_"You're…you're coming back to Hogwarts?" Harry stuttered out._

_Buffy turned her attention to Harry and nodded. She couldn't help but notice how pale the boy was. Obviously he'd had a better look at her in the graveyard than she'd believed. He recognised her from the other evening, and that was all, or so she believed._

_Ron was completely oblivious however._

_"Now, Miss Zabini, I believe that will be all for today," Dumbledore said, turning to look at Buffy. _

_"Of course sir, thank you for meeting with me," Buffy replied. She turned to Harry, Ron and Hermione and nodded. "It was good to see you all again. I'm looking forward to next term."_

_She was out the door before Harry could protest her leaving. Harry whirled around to look at Dumbledore in shock._

_"Do you know who that is?" Harry asked incredulously._

_Dumbledore nodded and took a seat behind his desk. "Your sister, yes I know. I only made the connection when you informed me that she'd been present at the revivification ceremony. I'd never thought to connect Beth Zabini to your twin sister, Harry."_

_"What?" Ron yelped. "That__was your sister?"_

_Hermione rolled her eyes. "Oh, honestly Ron."_

_Harry ignored the two, as was usual and kept his gaze planted firmly on Dumbledore. "You know who she is, and you just let her walk out of here?"_

_"Miss Zabini has absolutely no idea of who she truly is," Dumbledore explained. "If we were to just announce this to her now with no proof whatsoever, except for your word on something that Voldemort had told you, she would laugh in your face and walk out."_

_"She's my sister, sir," Harry reiterated. _

_Dumbledore put a placating hand in the air, trying to get Harry to remain calm. "I am aware of that Harry, I promise you. But she is in a dangerous enough position as it is."_

_"Dangerous?" Hermione asked, picking up on the odd phrasing._

_Dumbledore fixed his gaze on Hermione, who stared back at him, managing not to fidget nervously. _

_"Voldemort obviously wanted something from her. What that is, we've never found out. If Voldemort was aware that Miss Zabini knew that she wasn't actually a Zabini, there is no telling what he would do," Dumbledore explained. "As it is, Voldemort is known to have a very short fuse, and that is why it is a dangerous position. He may be fascinated with the idea of having a Potter loyal to him, but there is no telling how long that fascination will last. My guess is that he will remain fascinated for as long as she remains loyal."_

_"You're telling me there's nothing we can do?" Harry asked._

_"I'm sorry Harry, I truly am," Dumbledore replied sadly. "We just have to trust that she will be safe for now."_

_Harry was not happy about that suggestion, but he had nothing better to offer. He sighed in frustration and looked to his two friends. The mystery of who his sister had grown up with had been solved, there was no other reason to remain in Dumbledore's office._

_Hermione, however, had more questions in mind._

_"Sir…where has she been for the last three years?" Hermione asked._

_"Being privately tutored," Dumbledore replied. "That was true. She is quite talented actually."_

_"Tutored by a Death-Eater?" Hermione pressed._

_Dumbledore nodded. "Yes."_

_"And you don't see this as a problem?" _

_"At this moment Miss Granger, there is nothing that we could do to safely bring Miss Zabini on to our side. When the right opportunity presents itself, we will do everything in our power to do so," Dumbledore assured them._

_Hermione sighed and turned to leave, Ron beginning to follow. It was Harry who interrupted them._

_"Who exactly do you mean when you say 'we'?"_

_Dumbledore paused and rested his chin on his hands, his elbows resting on the desk in front of him. "The Order of the Phoenix."_

_----_

Sorry for the lack of updates. I'm running out of chapters, and my writing has been sporadic at best. sighs Many thanks for all your encouragement and feedback, you guys are fan-fricken-tastic!

Toodles.

K.


	23. The Order II

_CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE: THE ORDER II_

_Sirius Black and Remus Lupin sat with twin looks of bewilderment on their faces._

_"You found her?" Remus asked softly._

_Dumbledore nodded, and watched the reactions of Harry and Buffy's godparents. He'd known that they would be shocked, but he was somewhat surprised by this almost silent reaction._

_"Where was she? Why is it only now that we've managed to find her?" Sirius asked._

_Dumbledore sighed softly and stroked his beard, wondering how to best answer the question._

_"She was raised in a family of Death-Eaters. With the war against Voldemort, I'm afraid the ministry records of births were somewhat lax during that period. Records were falsified to make it appear that Mrs Belinda Zabini, wife of Benjamin Zabini had had another child, born prematurely. No one even considered contesting it," Dumbledore explained. "Ben Zabini works within the ministry, and he was able to create records for another daughter, Beth, born on July 31st. And, seeing as how students aren't accepted to Hogwarts until they are eleven years of age, and seeing as how the Zabini's are intensely private people, no one ever realised that Beth was not theirs. And as they were never tied to Voldemort, no one would ever have thought that Beth was truly Elizabeth. It is impossible, however, for her to truly belong to the Zabini's, as if she truly were, she'd have been born five months prematurely"_

_Remus pushed his chair away from the table and stood up, moving to stare out the nearby window, gazing up at the half-moon, half wishing that it was a full-moon so that he could transform into wolf-form and take out his rage in a far more vocal way. _

_"And you never made the connection that Beth was actually Elizabeth when she was at Hogwarts?" Remus asked, keeping his back to the Headmaster._

_"In all honesty, I'm surprised that Zabini would have allowed Elizabeth to enter Hogwarts at all," Dumbledore replied. "It was both risky and brilliant. Putting her in plain sight for all to see was a good move. I'd have been more suspicious of hearing of another child who was __not__ attending Hogwarts, than of one of the students. And unfortunate though it is, most people are either unaware of the existence of Elizabeth Potter, or have merely forgotten that she disappeared."_

_"And I suppose she was placed into Slytherin," Sirius spat out bitterly._

_Dumbledore chuckled slightly and shook his head. "No. She is a Potter through and through. She was placed into Gryffindor," he replied._

_Both Sirius and Remus paused at that. Remus smiled fondly as he recalled his rambunctious goddaughter. James and Lily had been convinced that the twins would be placed in Gryffindor, and they'd bought the two necklaces, one with a lion, and the other with a gryphon, to symbolise that connection to their heritage._

_Remus pulled his collar aside and reverently touched the phoenix pendant that had once belonged to his small goddaughter. He'd only ever taken it off for three reasons. To bathe, on the nights surrounding the full moon, and when he'd shown the pendant to Harry the year before._

_"We have to get her away from Zabini," Sirius declared, standing up, his posture straight, and face set with a determination that hadn't been there since after Peter Pettigrew had managed to escape that night in the Shrieking Shack. "It may not be too late to reverse everything that she's been taught."_

_Dumbledore hesitated. He'd not told Harry and his Gryffindor cohorts for a reason, but he knew that Sirius and Remus, once they put their minds to something, would go to the ends of the earth to achieve it._

_"It isn't," Dumbledore said quietly._

_Sirius hadn't been expecting that. He'd been expecting to be told that he needed to stay put, but Dumbledore's quiet sentence confused him greatly._

_"What do you mean Albus?" Remus asked calmly._

_"It isn't too late to reverse what she's been taught. In fact, it's already been done," Dumbledore admitted._

_"I'm confused," Sirius stated succinctly._

_Dumbledore sighed, not wanting to reveal how oblivious he'd been to the young Gryffindor student who had been exiled from Hogwarts for three years at his own suggestion._

_"After Elizabeth was sorted into Gryffindor, she had problems at home. I haven't been able to discover exactly what happened, but it is my belief that she spent two weeks in the company of Lucius Malfoy and Dominique Quirrell, being…taught…how to be a proper Death-Eater," Dumbeldore explained._

_Sirius and Remus exchanged a worried glance._

_"Why don't I like the sound of that?" Remus asked._

_"Because you are probably correct in thinking that their methods of tutelage are far stricter than any methods used at Hogwarts," Dumbledore replied. "She returned to us, quiet and sullen, refusing to speak to her friends. Strangely enough, before all of this happened, she'd befriended Harry, even though she'd been told her entire life that Harry was the reason that so many people's lives had been ruined. She went against everything that she'd been taught purely because she finally met the people that her parents had been slandering. Muggle-borns and half-bloods were nothing like the preconceived notions that the Zabini's had instilled in her since her disappearance, and she was willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. Unfortunately, two weeks with Malfoy and Quirrell was enough to scare her into behaving as she'd been taught to. She cut off all ties with her friends, and became something of a recluse."_

_"What happened after that?" Remus prompted._

_"At the end of the school year, I received a letter from an old acquaintance. Rupert Giles."_

_"He was one of our spies, wasn't he?" Sirius asked._

_Dumbledore nodded. "The Death-Eaters had never discovered Rupert's true loyalties. Zabini had requested that Rupert take over the tutelage of his youngest daughter, and Rupert was intrigued enough to agree. He thought to take her for three months, but he soon discovered that she needed very little persuasion to disbelieve everything her father had ever said. He then discovered…something else."_

_Neither Sirius nor Remus particularly liked the pause in Dumbledore's speech. They knew that nothing good could come of a pause after the Headmaster's last sentence._

_"What did he discover?" Sirius asked, not certain he wanted to know._

_Dumbledore cleared his throat slightly, trying to find the right way to explain everything._

_"Do you recall the birthmarks on Elizabeth and Harry's shoulders?" Dumbledore asked._

_The two remaining Marauder's looked at the elderly wizard in complete confusion._

_"Harry's was on his right shoulder," Sirius replied._

_"Ellie's was on her left," Remus added._

_"A birthmark on her left shoulder. It's a significant mark; one that we never thought meant anything noteworthy. But a birthmark on the left shoulder of a girl means something extraordinary," Dumbledore hedged._

_Remus' jaw suddenly dropped. He hadn't been the Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor for a year for nothing. He'd been qualified to teach in that position._

_"The Mark of a Slayer," Remus whispered._

_Sirius went pale. "Ellie's a Slayer?"_

_"A Potential Slayer, yes," Dumbledore replied. "She may never be Called. However, seeing as how her brother seems to play an important role in the wizarding world, I would not be surprised if the fates saw to it that she will become a Slayer eventually."_

_"So…Ellie knows she is a Potential Slayer?" Remus asked._

_Dumbledore nodded. "She is aware of the possibility of her being Called. It was this discovery that influenced Rupert into believing that she could be persuaded to rebel against her father and the Death-Eaters. After extensive conversations, Rupert had explained the truth about the Death-Eaters, and about the war that was fought. She was…shocked, to say the least, but Rupert managed to get her to agree to a three year training programme. It is considerably shorter than most Potential Slayers would receive, but I had had a feeling that we would only have three years to prepare. It seems I was correct."_

_"So, Rupert trained Ellie to be ready to become a Slayer?" Sirius asked._

_"Not just a Slayer. Elizabeth was trained as a Slayer, and also trained in the rules and etiquette of the Death-Eaters. Rupert sent her to muggle acting lessons so that she could learn to disassociate herself and her role as a Death-Eater," Dumbledore explained. "Watching her perform for Harry and his friends, was…intriguing to say the least. Had I not known that she was truly on our side, I'd have been convinced that she was a Death-Eater."_

_Sirius and Remus were completely stunned by this new revelation. They'd believed that after hearing that Ellie was still alive, they couldn't have been more shocked if they'd tried, but obviously they'd been wrong. _

_"So…Ellie's a spy for the Order?" Remus asked._

_Dumbledore nodded. "Effectively."_

_"I'm surprised Ellie agreed to that," Sirius commented softly. "I couldn't imagine staying with a family that had purposely manipulated me to believe that I was to become a Death-Eater. I know I couldn't do it."_

_Remus saw the look of guilt flash through Dumbledore's eyes, and the remaining piece of the puzzle clicked into place in Remus' mind._

_"She has no idea that she isn't truly Beth Zabini, does she?" Remus asked angrily._

_"No," Dumbledore replied._

_Sirius' eyes flashed with anger. "Are you serious? She doesn't know that she's Ellie Potter?"_

_Dumbledore shook his head. "It would be too dangerous for her to find out now. She has a very tender heart, and discovering this now would only put her in more danger. She is in a precarious position as it is, and she cannot discover the truth yet. If Voldemort were to find out that Elizabeth knew the truth of her parentage, and that she was double-crossing him, he wouldn't hesitate to have her killed. Or worse."_

_"So, just to recap," Remus began slowly, "Harry knows that Beth is Ellie, but Ellie has no idea that she is related to Harry. Ellie is aware of being a Potential Slayer, and that she is working for the Order, but Harry has no idea that she isn't truly loyal to Voldemort." _

_Dumbledore nodded. "It seems that they each have part of the puzzle, but not all of it. It will only be a matter of team before they piece everything together. Harry has only to slip up once and reveal that they are siblings. And Elizabeth has only to reveal that she is not loyal to Voldemort, and they will eventually work everything out."_

_"Why didn't you tell Harry about Ellie being a spy?" Sirius asked angrily._

_"Because he would want to reveal the truth about their connection, and that is something that Ellie cannot know until Voldemort is permanently destroyed," Remus answered, cutting off Dumbledore's answer, which had been the same as Remus'._

_Sirius fell silent, and tried to think about everything they'd just been told, attempting to look at all the information in a more rational light. It wasn't working properly. All he wanted was for his godson to be happy, and for that to happen, his family would have to be reunited._

_"Is there anyway we can meet her?" Remus asked._

_Dumbledore hesitated. "If you did meet her, you wouldn't be able to reveal to her anything about who she is, or who you are to her."_

_Both men hesitated. They couldn't help but wonder what their reactions to meeting the girl again would be. Remus had been especially devastated by her disappearance. He'd been completely enamoured with the little girl who was his goddaughter. However, the thought of seeing her again, no matter what the circumstances was too good a chance to pass up. The two remaining loyal Marauder's exchanged a glance._

_"Agreed."_

_"Then I'll arrange a meeting the week before the beginning of the new school term. I've requested for her to begin a week earlier to catch up on her schoolwork. In truth, she'll be meeting with Professor Snape and McGonagall."_

_"Snape?" Sirius repeated incredulously. "Why would he need to be involved?"_

_"Because I believe that Zabini will ask Severus to give him updates on his daughter's behaviour," Dumbledore replied patiently, wishing that the men would just forgive and forget their school-days behaviour. The grudge was getting old, and quite frankly, very annoying. "I also believe that young Elizabeth will need an ally, and Severus could prove to be quite good for her. By all accounts, she's as feisty as Lily ever was, if not more, with James' stubbornness to boot. Plus, Zabini will accept Severus as a good ally for his 'daughter'."_

_Remus and Sirius had almost identical looks of absolute disgust on their faces. They couldn't believe that the only daughter of James Potter was going to become an ally of Severus Snape's. It seemed far too surreal for the two men who had once terrorised the Slytherin that Snape had been in his youth. Fate, it seemed, had a funny sense of irony._

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Bit of a non-chapter I know. Losta exposition, but it works nicely to sum everything up.

Which is why I'm being nice and giving you another chapter as well. grins

DKG.


	24. The Servant

_CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR: THE SERVANT_

_Her stomach was churning, but she sat with her back straight and her hands clasped firmly together. She sat between her father and Lucius Malfoy towards the head of the table. The politics of the Death-Eaters demanded that those in high standing of the Dark Lord were seated closest to him. And while Buffy didn't understand just what it was about her that had Voldemort so fascinated, she was two seats away from the man who's very name was enough to make people tremble in fear._

_She'd also learnt that Voldemort loved the sound of his own voice. He would quite happily talk about his past conquests for hours on end before getting to the point, and those that fidgeted during his speeches found themselves on the end of the Cruciatus Curse. All in all, it was a very good method of getting someone to listen in silence._

_The plans at the moment were mostly about their future allies, and the most obvious ways to stay out of plain sight. As far as the Ministry of Magic was concerned, Harry Potter was a liar who had hallucinated the return of the Dark Lord. It worked in Voldemort's favour, and allowed the Death Eaters to move freely in the outside world, passing information and recruiting old and new members and allies._

_Now all they needed to do was discover a way to break the loyal members locked up in Azkaban out so that Voldemort would have more followers. Breaching the walls of Azkaban, however, was proving to be a little harder than they'd originally thought. _

_As for Buffy, she sat in silence, soaking up the information and memorising every piece she could so that she could relay it all to Dumbledore when she saw him next. There were some things that she was privileged to hear that Snape and Giles weren't. Voldemort's inner-circle of his most trusted members consisted of only five people. Malfoy, Zabini, Buffy, Nott and Parkinson. They were the people who heard the most intricate of his plans, and he trusted them implicitly._

_Unfortunately for Voldemort, he was so enamoured with the idea of a loyal Potter in his inner-circle, that he never questioned the intelligence of allowing a fifteen year old to sit in on the most private of meetings. The cursory checks he did of his followers minds never showed more than the surface of their thoughts, and a trained leglimens could keep their most private thoughts to themselves._

_Now all Buffy had to do was make it through another three weeks before the new term started, and she was back at Hogwarts, and wouldn't have to sit in on these meetings as often. She was no more than a glorified trophy for Voldemort, but the position was one of power, and she had every intention to use any advantage she could get._

_------------------------_

_In a small room on the second floor of the Dursley household, Harry Potter lay on his stomach, a photo album open in front of him, tears glittering in his eyes as he stared at a baby-photo of his twin sister smiling impishly at the camera. The very thought of Ellie being a servant of Voldemort was enough to make him sick to his stomach, and he had spent more than a few sleepless nights wondering how on earth this could have happened, and how he hadn't realised that he and Buffy were related. _

_Things were starting to fall into place though. He'd often wondered about Buffy's upbringing, especially after they became friends, and even more when she came home after the Christmas in First Year, proclaiming that they could never be friends again. He'd known that her family had some sort of hold over her, but he'd never known how dangerous it was. No wonder her father had been so harsh on her for befriending him. Ben Zabini wouldn't want his youngest daughter realising the truth about where she really came from._

_Harry sighed and flipped the album closed, pushing to his feet and making his way downstairs and outside. He'd found a position beneath the windowsill that let him listen to the evening news so that his aunt and uncle wouldn't question why he was suddenly so interested in what was going on in the world. Surely if Voldemort attacked a muggle city, it would be on the news, even if it was just described in muggle terms. _

_For half an hour he sat in the sweltering heat, listening the to news through the open window, breathing a sigh of relief when nothing out of the ordinary was reported. Where the water-skiing canary came into things, he wasn't certain, but he knew that if Voldemort had been terrorising the muggle community, it would have played a large part in the news. _

_Life would go on for another day, and Little Whingeing was quiet as ever. For now at least._

_------------------------_

_"Why won't you talk to me!" Blaise demanded, angrily running after her sister as Buffy made a hasty retreat down the stairs._

_Buffy could only ignore her, not wanting to repeat the same fight she and Blaise had been having all summer. This was not the homecoming she'd been expecting. She hadn't expected Blaise to be asking quite so many questions. Then again, she should have known better. A Zabini never took anything at face value. _

_Blaise grabbed hold of her younger sister's arm, stopping Buffy's exit, and the petite blonde spun around to glare at her sister, trying to yank her arm out of Blaise's grip. Anger flashed in their eyes, their expressions eerily similar, regardless of the fact that they weren't truly related._

_"Buffy, you can't just ignore me for the entire summer," Blaise argued._

_"I've told you not to call me that," Buffy said quietly, ice in her voice even as she tried desperately not to give into temptation and take her sister into her confidence._

_Blaise stared at the blonde girl, trying desperately to recognise the girl she'd grown up with. She didn't understand what had happened to the younger girl, and she had a fair idea of where her father kept dragging Buffy to each night, even if the public generally refused to accept that Voldemort was back._

_What had Blaise confused though, was why her father was so keen on Buffy becoming a Death-Eater, when he was almost completely over-looking Blaise. For one thing, Blaise was the elder of the two of them, and Ben Zabini had never expected her to choose the life of a Death-Eater until she was of age. Why he expected it of Buffy was a mystery that Blaise had yet to solve. _

_"I have every right to hate you, you know that," Blaise said, her voice quiet and full of anger. She leaned in closer, knowing that the household servants where everywhere and reported to her father of every conversation that the two girls had had over the summer. "I'm not giving up on you yet Buffy, I promise you. Father may believe your act, but I know you better than he ever will. You hate him, and everything he stands for."_

_Buffy held her breath, waiting for the other show to drop. If Blaise had her worked out, there was no telling what would happen._

_"Swear to me that you'll tell me one day," Blaise continued. "I don't give a shit what father thinks. I just want my sister back."_

_The two girls stared at each other a moment longer, emerald green staring into chocolate brown as they stood at a stand-off, neither giving an inch._

_"Swear to me," Blaise repeated softly._

_It was the barest of nods that communicated a wealth of words. The anger fell from Blaise's eyes and she turned, walking away and leaving Buffy to stand in the middle of an empty corridor, wondering how it was that her sister could still read her so well._

_------------------------_

_In a dark and filthy house, a meeting was called to order, and the members leant forward in their seats, eager for the information that had come to them through a complex channel of messengers. Only three select members of the Order of the Phoenix knew the name of their spy, and Dumbledore, Remus and Sirius would take that name to their graves. _

_So while Voldemort plotted to take Azkaban, and create allies throughout the wizarding world, Dumbledore and the Order planned to circumvent those events, extending hands of friendships where they could, and forming an alliance with creatures once deemed dark. _

_It was a slow process that had a forty percent success rate, but the word was slowly getting out that Voldemort was back, and when they destroyed him next, it would be for good this time._

_And when information that Harry Potter was going to be attacked by a Dementor in his own street came to the Order, it was quickly decided that it was no longer safe for the Boy-Who-Lived to remain with the Dursley's any longer. The Honour Guard was sent to stop it from occurring, knowing full well that with the way things stood in the Ministry of Magic, the slightest misuse of Harry's abilities would see him thrown out of school, and out of the wizarding world for good. _

_When Harry and his cousin found themselves cornered by a dementor, Harry's wand was out, and he was more than ready to protect them from the icy feeling of despair coming over them. But before Harry could yell the words to drive the Dementor away, a large silver mist shot over the area, and the Dementor tucked tail and ran. Harry was left standing in front of his cousin, his wand aimed, his jaw hanging, and Remus Lupin, Alastor Moody, and several others standing at the mouth of the alley._

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Hope you enjoyed the double update. Sorry for the lack of updates lately. Just got a new full-time job, and it has really weird hours. Haven't been able to write much lately. Thanks for being patient!

Toodles.

DKG.


	25. The Feast

_CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE: THE FEAST_

_Staring around the filled Great Hall, Buffy took in the sights and sounds of Hogwarts, unable to believe that she was finally back in the castle after so many years away. It seemed that nothing had changed, though she knew that wasn't entirely true. A lot of things had changed, and more changes would be coming sooner rather than later._

_She knew that the Ministry was refusing to acknowledge the truth about Voldemort's return. They'd painted Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore as attention seekers who wished to rile up the general population. _

_The students in Slytherin knew better. It was kept quiet, but the general buzz of anticipation and arrogance surrounding the silver and green clad students was hard to miss. _

_Buffy just took in her surroundings in silent contentment. It didn't matter that the three friends she'd made in First Year were seated several places down, talking quietly among themselves, sending glances towards her every few moments. She could imagine what they were saying about her though, especially if Harry knew that she'd been at Voldemort's revivification ceremony. _

_And while she didn't want Harry, Hermione and Ron to hate her for being a Death-Eater, it also worked to her advantage. Now that Voldemort was back, a lot of the Slytherin students were reporting back to their parents about odd behaviour. Many of them knew that Buffy was favoured by the Dark-Lord, and so her behaviour would be scrutinised even more. She'd have to be careful and play the role she'd so carefully constructed over the last three years. _

_The only thing she had yet to find out would be whether or not she would be able to cope with the consequences of her actions. Giles had always emphasised that this wasn't an easy role to play. It was painful to hurt those that you loved. But the mission was what mattered._

_She had a mission to fulfil, and she planned to do it to the best of her abilities._

_------------------------_

_"I can't believe she can just sit there," Ron whispered emphatically. _

_"What else do you expect her to do, exactly?" Hermione asked._

_Ron shrugged, glancing down at the girl he now knew to be Harry's twin sister. He didn't know what he expected exactly, but knowing that she was a servant of the Dark Lord made him expect something more than what was happening. Which, of course, was nothing._

_"I don't know. She should be glaring at us or something," Ron replied._

_Harry flinched a little, but mostly ignored what Ron was saying. Harry knew that his best friend meant no harm in the matter, but it was a painful topic for Harry to think about. Buffy should have been sitting with them, smiling and laughing and joking about the latest crazes in Quidditch, not sitting several seats down, silently eating her dinner._

_"It's almost as though she's trying to not_ look at us," Hermione observed.

Harry glanced down the table and noticed that Hermione was right. It did look as though Buffy was trying her hardest to _not_ look in their direction. His eyes narrowed, wondering if she'd been ordered by Voldemort to spy on him and his friends.

Harry could understand why Voldemort would want to control the youngest Potter child like that. Having the girl completely under his control would be something that he could feel proud about, even if Buffy had no idea that she was a Potter.

But what had Harry especially thoughtful was the fact that his sister had been placed into Gryffindor. He could remember his own experience with the sorting hat. It had told him that he'd have done well in Slytherin. So, if Harry, who had no upbringing with the Death Eaters, would have done well in Slytherin, why wouldn't Buffy have been placed into the infamous house? Had she asked to _not_ be placed in Slytehrin like he had.

Except, now that he thought about it, she'd been devastated the night she'd been sorted. She'd looked completely shocked. She'd _wanted_ to be in Slytherin. So, why hadn't the hat placed her there?

He thought back to every conversation he'd ever had in regards to the Sorting Hat. It read your deepest thoughts, it could see the best and worst parts of your heart. It saw everything, whether you wanted to acknowledge what it saw, or not.

The Hat must have seen something in his sister, something inherently good. The Hat would never have placed her into Gryffindor if it hadn't had a reason to.

Courage, bravery, strength of heart. Those were the characteristics that Godric Gryffindor had admired above all others.

_Then again, that had been four years ago. He'd seen the changes in her after she'd returned from the Christmas holidays in first year. She'd been different. People changed. Perhaps the goodness the Hat had once seen no longer existed._

_"What do you think Harry?" Ron's voice asked, interrupting his thoughts._

_"Hmm? What, sorry, I missed that."_

_"What do you think Professor Dumbledore will do to keep her from reporting to You-Know-Who about, well…you?" Ron asked._

_"I don't know," Harry replied honestly. "It wouldn't be that hard for her to send a message. It's not as though Professor Dumbledore can start reading through people's mail just to make sure no one's sending post to Voldemort."_

_Ron winced, and Harry ignored it. He had bigger problems to worry about other than people's irrational fear of a name. _

_How on earth was the Boy-Who-Lived meant to deny the only true familial link he'd ever had? How could he deny the sister he'd thought of since he'd first discovered her existence three years ago? How was he meant to ignore the fact that his twin sister was sitting three seats down, eating dinner as though she had no worries in the world?_

_However he was meant to do it, Harry knew that it was going to be a very long year. _

00000

Gasp, an update. Short though it is. I haven't given up on this fic yet. Promise!

K.


	26. The Message

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX: THE MESSAGE

The one good thing about being a fifteen-year-old in the service of the Dark Lord was the fact that he didn't really expect all that much from a teenager. Buffy wasn't old enough to be privy to information about Voldemort's rivals, the Order of the Phoenix. She wasn't trained in the arts of tactics, or any type of nefarious plotting. She was a teenager, whose only really advantage for Voldemort was the fact that she was in Gryffindor.

None of Voldemort's other spies, or Death-Eater's children were in Gryffindor, and couldn't get the information that Buffy could. Except, there really wasn't much information to get.

Harry Potter was a fifteen-year-old wizard with his mind firmly entrenched in Quidditch, classes, and on the rare occasion, girls. Which was something of a relief for Buffy really.

Her assignment had been simple. To report back to Voldemort on any suspicious activity of Harry Potter's.

'My Lord,

As instructed, my eyes have watched keenly for any signs of danger to your dignified lordship. As yet, the thorn in your side has not acted in a manner that could be considered even mildly threatening.'

From what Buffy had seen, Harry wanted nothing to do with the war against Voldemort. All Harry wanted to do was make it through his classes without someone trying to kill him. Harry had no plans to go after Voldemort, nor did he seem interested in even making plans.

To Harry, such a blatant offensive strike was inconceivable. Harry would defend himself against attacks, but planning some sort of frontal assault was so far beyond Harry's imagination, that Buffy knew the letters she would be sending fortnightly would be incredibly boring.

'Word is spreading through the castle about the wonderful news of your revival. You are gaining supporters through the younger ranks of witches and wizards, many of whom are eager to support your rise to victory.'

And wasn't that just the depressing part? The Slytherins were quietly making their way through the other houses, whispering words into the ears of those who sought to gain power, or those who were weak-minded, and wanting to be part of something, no matter what it was.

Buffy could see the seductiveness of it all. Voldemort was powerful; there was no denying that. The problem was that the Dark Lord did not share that power. He never would.

Voldemort gathered lackeys, minions, servants. He did not seek out friends. At best, there were those he considered allies. But they were not equals. They never would be. There was no one above the Dark Lord, and that was the way Voldemort liked it.

Those that could challenge his power would be eradicated quickly, under the cover of darkness.

The Death-Eaters had no honour, and therefore had little compunction when they were ordered to attack in the dead of night, and kill people in their sleep. The easier the kill, the better. Voldemort did not like challengers.

'Unfortunately, the house of Godric Gryffindor has been wary of those who would seek to bring further glory to your lordship. They foolishly believe that they will be saved by their code of honour, and the false courage and bravery that infernal hat believes the members of Gryffindor posses.'

While the Slytherins would never approach a Gryffindor, those from Hufflepuff who had been swayed were not so prejudiced that they would not talk-up the great news of darkness that they had learned.

It was disturbing and a little frightening that so many members of Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff had been taken in by the cunning and manipulative Slytherins.

Put power was seductive, and corrupting. One small taste, and it became addictive. She could understand why it was happening to people around the school.

That wasn't to say that a majority of students were swayed by the Slytherins. In fact it was barely five percent of the students, not counting Slytherin of course. But still, five percent of nearly a thousand students was still a depressing amount of people.

'As ever, I will continue to listen for news of a rebellion.

Your humble servant,

Beth Zabini.'

------------------------

Buffy sat on the roof of Hogwarts' tallest tower, watching the Slytherin versus Ravenclaw Quidditch match several hundred yards away. The sun was heating her shoulders, making her warm and lethargic.

This whole double-agent deal was a lot harder than she'd been prepared for. She'd intellectually known that it would be difficult to look at her friends, to look at Hermione, and have to remain cool and distant. She'd known that it would be hard, and painful, and everyday. Thirty-eight days back at Hogwarts already.

But the heartache that came with it was unbearable. She wanted someone to unload on, someone she could confide in. She wanted to write to Willow or to Giles and just vent her problems, but she knew that it would be risky. If her cover was blown, things would get much worse.

What she needed was someone within Hogwarts who knew what she was going through. Someone who understood. Someone like…

"What precisely do you think you're doing up here?" the crisp words could have only come from one person.

Someone like Professor Severus Snape.

"Moping," Buffy replied.

Severus Snape stared down at the Fifth Year student, watching her silently. He'd watched her, knowing how difficult it could be to play the double agent. Then again, he hadn't had close friends that he'd had to 'betray' in order to play the part. The sneering, evil, traitorous role had been one he'd had for years, cultivated by years of abuse, bullying, and depression.

He could vaguely remember Buffy Zabini from her first year, before Lucious Malfoy and Dominic Quirrell had got their hands on the girl. She'd been vivacious, rambunctious, and friendly. To see her so quiet and alone was just wrong somehow.

Snape slowly lowered himself to sit beside the young girl. Neither said a word as they watched the faraway game of Quidditch, the muffled sounds of cheering providing a nice barrier to keep the silence from being awkward.

"I can't say I truly understand," Severus murmured quietly. "Though I do know what it is like to bow before a man that I despise."

"It makes me sick," Buffy agreed. "And ignoring my friends…my heart hurts, y'know?"

"A heavy price. Especially for one so young," Snape said. "You are performing admirably."

It was high praise coming from the Potions Master, veiled though his words had to be.

"Was it hard for you?" the words came from Buffy's lips before she had fully processed just who it was she was talking to. "I – I'm sorry, I had no right to ask."

"It was…difficult," Snape replied, ignoring the girls back-peddling. "Though admittedly there were none I would call friend that I insulted for being loyal to Dumbledore. The most difficult trial was toadying to wizards I had no respect for. Hiding my thoughts, and burying emotions. I was twenty-six when I turned spy for Dumbledore. I cannot imagine having the strength to act as such at fifteen."

As a general rule, Severus had no respect for any of the teenagers residing in Hogwarts. They were mostly spoiled, arrogant, and horribly self-involved. But this girl was risking her life, her soul, for something she believed in. She was betraying the family who had raised her, and trying to do real good, despite the fact that she could have turned her back, and gone down the easy route. Following Voldemort was easy. It required little thought, and no morals. Betraying the Dark Lord, especially from within the inner-most circle was no easy feat, and Severus Snape couldn't help but respect the girl for that.

Regardless of the fact that she was James Potter's daughter. Regardless of the fact that she was a Gryffindor.

Her heart was in the right place, and she was honestly trying to help bring down the Dark Lord.

Severus Snape had done very little 'good' in his life. Turning spy for Dumbledore had been the right thing to do, but he still hadn't believed he'd been redeemed for the hideous acts he'd committed during his stint as a Death-Eater. And if helping this young girl on her path would earn him a few karmic points to balance out the horror of his earlier years, then he would help her.

The fact that it would annoy Sirius Black to no end was just a bonus.

0000

Dunno what the heck was up with the italics. They weren't meant to be in there, except for Buffy's letter. So, repost with no italics.


	27. The Confrontation

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN: THE CONFRONTATION

It was difficult avoiding someone that lived in the same room. It was even more difficult when the person you were avoiding happened to be Hermione Granger. The girl was inquisitive, headstrong and determined to discover just what had happened to her best friend over the last few years.

She couldn't wrap her mind around the fact that the cold-hearted girl that bunked one bed over was the same girl who'd wiped tears from Hermione's cheeks in first year and told her that she was beautiful. It hurt her heart to see Buffy being so distant, so mysterious.

However, all things considered, Hermione was a brilliant girl. She was good at understanding how things worked, including the baffling minds of the girls who lived with her. So, when she'd casually mentioned to Fred Weasley that Lavender had a crush on Lee Jordon, and would probably kill to see the dread-locked boy shirtless, Fred had whispered a plan into George's ear to set their friend up with the pretty Fifth Year girl.

It helped that Lavender really did find the boy attractive, though why that was, Hermione couldn't understand. In any case, when Lavender had overheard Fred and George discussing the fact that the Seventh Years boys would be going for a run early the next morning, Lavender had automatically wanted to go and watch the show. Pavarti was dragged along for the ride, leaving Hermione alone with Buffy.

And if Hermione hadn't known better, she'd have sworn that her old friend was nervous by the prospect of being cornered. In fact, Buffy had started gathering her uniform, intent on going to have a quick shower when Hermione knew for a fact that Buffy preferred showering in the evenings.

"What are you running from Buffy?" Hermione challenged.

Buffy turned to face the other girl, her eyes stony, her lips set in a grim line.

"I'm not running."

"It sure looks that way. But if you're afraid, then…"

Yes, Hermione knew how people worked. It had been years since she'd really known Buffy, but there were still a few things that remained the same. The old Buffy would never back down from a challenge. This newer, harder girl wouldn't either.

"I'm afraid of nothing," Buffy replied, turning to face the other girl.

Hermione shrugged, feigning nonchalance.

"Then talk to me. Tell me the truth. Tell me why you shut yourself off from me…from us," Hermione said.

Buffy's eyes flickered in pain for a fraction of a second at the painful reminder of their past and future. She was doing this for Hermione, and Harry, and even for Ron. She was doing this so that Voldemort could be brought down for good. She was pretending to betray her first best friend so that one day, they could live in a free world.

"I didn't shut myself off," Buffy replied evenly. She'd been prepared for this. She'd written a script that she'd memorised so that she wouldn't falter through this explanation. She'd practiced it at the muggle drama lessons she'd been to in order to perfect her role. "I needed to set myself up for the future. I needed to look out for myself, and remember my family roots."

"What roots? So what if your parents are Death-Eaters," Hermione said. "That doesn't mean you have to be. You-Know-Who is nothing but a power-hungry wizard who knows more dark spells than is good for him."

"The Dark Lord is the way of the future, Granger. My future. And if you cannot accept that, then it is not my problem," Buffy said.

"You…you truly believe that?" Hermione asked, flabbergasted. "You-Know-Who is not some…some figure-head to be idolised. He's evil, Buffy-"

"Beth," Buffy stressed.

"You will always be Buffy to me," Hermione said. "And I don't believe that the girl I knew could truly believe that. Your family did something to you…your tutor brainwashed you."

"My tutor set me free," Buffy replied honestly. "He is a good man with the right sort of ideals. He knows the truth about the Dark Lord's intentions, and he passed those same beliefs onto me. And I am honoured to carry on the work that my tutor believes in so strongly."

Hermione fell silent; unable to comprehend the blind loyalty she was seeing. Her heart hurt for her friend.

This was the girl who'd killed a mountain troll so that Hermione wouldn't be hurt. This was the girl who'd wept in her arms when her parents had ignored her for so long. The girl who'd become the most important person to her.

But that girl was long gone. Three and a half years ago her friend had been turned against her, and Hermione knew that she would never see her friend again. Just the blinded shell that looked so much like her.

"If that's how you truly feel, then…then I suppose that there's nothing I can say to change your mind," Hermione said sadly.

"I know what I believe in," Buffy said. "And nothing will make me change my stance. Or my loyalties."

Hermione blinked back tears, and nodded. She could only watch as Buffy walked out of their room, and wonder just what it was that had changed the sweetest person she'd ever known into the hard-hearted girl she'd just confronted.

-----------------------

Classes continued as per usual. Assignments were assigned, homework was completed, papers were graded, and students procrastinated. Quidditch was played. Potions were brewed. Curses were cast. Autumn gave way to winter, and Christmas came and went. Buffy remained at Hogwarts for the week-long vacation, claiming that she wanted to keep an eye on her assignment, in case anything happened when the majority of students were away.

Ben Zabini had praised her foresight. Buffy just hadn't wanted to go home and lie to her family.

It was ironic, the potential Slayer turned double-agent, thought. She'd wanted nothing more than to be accepted by her family four years ago. And now that she would be accepted without question, she wanted nothing to do with her father. She couldn't stand the thought of him serving Voldemort. She hated the evil wizard, and the thought that her father would abuse her, verbally and physically, just to gain favour with the Dark Lord was sickening.

Which always led to her questioning just what it was about her that made the Dark Lord so interested. She knew that asking anyone about it would be fruitless. No one would answer that particular question of hers, no matter how sneaky she was in trying to catch them off guard by it. They refused to tell her the real reason, and eventually she stopped trying.

Instead, she watched as students happily returned home for the holidays, and others stayed in the castle, some moping, others fairly happy at having Hogwarts so empty.

And Harry was happy as a clam, staying at Hogwarts and celebrating the holidays with Ron and Hermione. The other two had stayed out of loyalty to Harry, not wanting their best friend alone for the holidays. They knew how uncomfortable Harry was being invited to spend Christmas with their families, and so, they stayed at Hogwarts for a private celebration.

Buffy watched them enviously, remembering the way they'd been a foursome so long ago. They'd watched out for each other, supported each other, and she missed it so desperately.

In the privacy of her own room, she wrote them all Christmas cards, expressing the depth of her affection for the trio, wondering whether she'd ever be able to reveal herself to them.

This was a deep-cover mission, she'd been told. It could last for years. Voldemort may not be defeated anytime in the near future.

That was the most frightening thought. That ten years down the track, she would still be bowing before the Dark Lord, doing who knew what for him, to ensure her position as a spy within his ranks. She sincerely hoped that something would tip the scales before then.

She added the Christmas cards the to cardboard box of letters that she'd written the trio over the years. Most were to Hermione, her first and truest friend, besides Blaise. There were others to Ron, things that Xander had said or done that she thought the lanky redhead would appreciate. And there were others to Harry, deep and serious, telling him that she would do anything she could to keep Voldemort away from him. That her loyalty remained with the Boy-Who-Lived, and with the Order of the Phoenix. That she could never betray their friendship like he thought she had.

There were other letters, more recent ones addressed to Willow, Xander and Giles. But the majority of the box was filled with three years worth of missives that she hoped to one-day deliver, in hopes of explaining her actions.

And until then, she would hoard the Christmas cards and letters in the box beneath her bed, a distraction charm placed around them, so that anyone who touched the box besides herself would become discombobulated, and remember something important that they had to do, rather than open the box.

And so, Christmas came and went, and Buffy played her part. It was easier to stay away from people, to block them out. She hated confrontations, and she would try to avoid them.

Luckily, a well placed sneer or smirk was enough to keep the other Gryffindors away from her. Rumours flew around the castle about her, where she'd been and why she was back. But all in all, Buffy Zabini ignored it all, and reminded herself that this was for her friends. She would not fail them.

------------------------

Three weeks into the beginning of the new term, a letter came for her.

'It is time. Your master is honouring you with the mark of loyalty. In one week, you will show your fealty, and proclaim your allegiance. Be ready.'

The Dark Mark.

This would be the true test. This would be the deciding factor. Giles had assured her as much as he could that Voldemort would not make her take the mark until her seventeenth birthday, and hopefully by then, the whole ordeal would have been over.

But it came a year and a half early.

One week.

Be ready.

Buffy swallowed, glancing across the table at Hermione, Harry and Ron.

She would not fail them.

Even if it killed her.

000000

Ooo, dark, dark, dark. This chapter came out of nowhere. There was nothing between this and the next, but I decided that the taking of the mark had kinda just popped out of nowhere, and Buffy hadn't had any interaction with any of her old friends, so…this became a bit of a filler, and…well, I kinda like it. Opinions?


	28. The Breakdown

Heh. *pokes head around corner* *waves*

So...it's been a while, huh? More than two and a half years. I'll mention right now that I have completed this story. It's forty-five chapters long. I'm planning on posting one a day, possibly more.

So, uh...sorry for taking so damn long. Life, love, other fandoms and a very long break from writing kinda happened. I've been prodding this story into shape for a while, and I decided against posting more until it was finished. I just didn't realise how damn long that would take.

So...again, SORRY! I promise, it's finished, and I WILL update regularly. PROMISE!

00000

CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT: THE BREAKDOWN

Harry awoke to the sounds of soft snoring coming from his roommates, the otherwise quiet room was eerily still. He didn't know what had awoken him, but he knew that trying to get back to sleep would be completely hopeless now. He shifted in his bed, wrestling with the covers, trying to get comfortable.

After five useless minutes, he sighed and tossed the covers to the side, swinging his feet over the edge of the bed and sliding his feet into his slippers. He pulled on his black Gryffindor cloak and crept silently out of the room.

When he reached the common room, he heard the clock chime. Six in the morning. If he left now it wouldn't technically be breaking any rules. They were allowed out of the common room after six am, though usually no one was up much before seven. Which meant he had about an hour to himself.

He decided against sitting in front of the fireplace. He had too much energy for that, which was interesting in itself. He usually awoke feeling sluggish and lethargic, but today seemed different. He had the sudden urge to start pacing the room or to go for a jog or something. It felt odd. Almost as though he should be incredibly stressed about something, but he'd finished the bulk of his assignments, and the next Quidditch match wasn't for another week.

He wandered down the staircase and into the Entrance Hall, looking around the empty hallway. The Slytherin common room was down the hall to the right, and beyond that was the Potions classroom. It was a pity that Snape kept the door locked, since the quietness of the mornings would have been a brilliant time to plant a prank of some sort in the classroom.

Harry moved towards the Great Hall, knowing that the elves would serve breakfast to anyone who settled themselves down at the tables and wanted food, but his stomach wasn't growling as yet.

He stopped suddenly, his ears pricking as he heard muffled voices. He held himself deathly still, straining to hear what was being said, and by whom.

He silently shuffled towards a shadowed corner, and listened carefully.

It was a girl's voice. Not only was it a girl's voice, but it was a very distressed girl's voice. She was shouting something, but Harry couldn't quite make out what was being said.

He moved closer to the direction the sound was coming from, surprised to see that the door to the Potions classroom wasn't locked as it usually was. The door was closed, but definitely unlocked. He moved in closer until he could properly hear the discussion.

"I can't do this anymore sir!" the girl said angrily. "It feels wrong."

"That's because it is wrong," a softer voice replied. Harry would recognise that voice anywhere. Professor Snape. But he didn't sound as though he was angry, or sneering. He sounded as though he was trying to comfort the upset girl.

"I want this to end," the girl complained.

Harry felt his heart stop. He recognised that voice. Buffy. Beth Zabini. Elizabeth Potter.

His sister.

With Professor Snape. He couldn't help but wonder what the argument was about. Whatever it was, it sounded incredibly serious, and extremely disturbing.

He moved closer still as the voices lowered themselves slightly.

"I cannot stress how important this is, Miss Zabini," Snape said. "The Dark Lord is highly pleased with you, you know that."

"My father keeps me well informed," Buffy replied.

Harry unconsciously began holding his breath. He felt the sting of tears in his eyes, hating the fact that his sister was a follower of Voldemort. He was incredibly tempted to rush through the doors and grab her into a hug before telling her everything that he knew. Logically he knew that Dumbledore was right, but his heart was telling him differently.

"Then you are aware that the Dark Lord wishes for you to take the Mark this coming weekend," Snape said.

"I don't want the Mark!" Buffy yelled. "I don't want anything of Voldemort's touching me. I thought I could do this, but I can't. Not even for my friends."

Harry could have sworn that he felt his heart stop completely. He placed a hand on his chest, just to check, and felt his heart racing faster than anything he'd felt before. Whatever he'd expected to hear, that last statement from Buffy hadn't been it at all.

"You spent three years preparing yourself for this," Snape reminded her. "To give yourself away now would be disastrous. The Dark Lord favours you above every other would-be follower, and for him to realise that you are no more faithful than I would be catastrophic."

"I know!" Buffy yelled angrily.

"Miss Zabini-"

"No, I'm sorry. Merlin, sir, I'm really sorry. This is…this is so stupid. I'm lying to absolutely everyone, except you and Professor Dumbledore. My friends all hate me, my sister can't begin to understand what happened, and the Slytherins want nothing to do with me because I'm a Gryffindor. And all of the Gryffindors want nothing to do with me because I have to be just a horrible person to them all so that my father won't disown me."

"It's never easy," Snape replied softly.

"I just…I want my life back," Buffy lamented. "I want my friends to like me again. I want my dad to stop caring about whether I'm the proper daughter of a Death-Eater or not."

Harry was stunned. Buffy wasn't a Death-Eater. She wasn't loyal to Voldemort. She hated staying away from them all. And…Dumbledore had known about this. Buffy had said that Snape and Dumbledore were the only ones who knew her at all, which meant that the Headmaster had been keeping things from him again.

Harry could have yelled with frustration. He hated when things were kept from him. Why wouldn't he have been told that his sister wasn't truly loyal to Voldemort? He could have had his family back. He could have been reunited with his sister properly, instead of having that sick feeling in his stomach every time he saw his sister smirk in his direction, rather than grin happily at him as she used to in First Year.

He needed answers and he needed them quickly. He quickly raced towards Dumbledore's office, not even hesitating as he yelled the password when he was halfway down the hall. The statue began circling, to create a spiral staircase, and Harry held on as the stairs ascended to Professor Dumbledore's private office. Harry didn't bother knocking, walking right into the office. He wasn't surprised to see the Headmaster behind the desk already, as though Dumbledore had been waiting for him.

"Harry, what brings you by so early in the morning?" Dumbledore asked.

"My sister," Harry replied succinctly.

Dumbledore looked over the top of his half-moon glasses, staring intently at the Boy-Who-Lived. "What about her?"

"She's working for you. As a spy. For the Order of the Phoenix." The last part was a guess, but he would have bet good money that Buffy was working for the Order. Which suggested that a fair few other people knew that she was on their side.

"What makes you think that?"

"I heard her with Snape," Harry replied angrily.

"Professor Snape," Dumbledore corrected.

Harry rolled his eyes, unable to believe that Dumbledore would be concerned about that after his angry accusation.

"Professor Snape. I overheard them talking just now. I heard her tell him that she didn't want to take the Mark. That you and Professor Snape were the only ones who even halfway understood her," Harry accused.

Dumbledore sighed tiredly and rested his elbows on the table, his chin resting on his hands.

"Yes, that is true," Dumbledore admitted.

"Why keep it from me?" Harry demanded to know. "Why not tell me that my sister wasn't actually a Death-Eater?"

"That is exactly why we didn't. Your sister, Harry, is unaware of whom she is. Until Voldemort is defeated once more, it remains imperative that she remain in the dark to her heritage. If she was to discover the truth, and Lord Voldemort in turn discovered that she knew, there is no telling what he would do to try and sway her to his side. And when he failed in that, he would kill her," Dumbledore explained. "She is willing to play spy for us, and I cannot stress how dangerous that is for her."

Harry felt sick to his stomach. He could feel his insides literally churning with displeasure at the thought of how dangerous it truly was for his sister to be playing spy for the Order.

"Professor Snape said that she was Voldemort's favourite," Harry said softly.

Dumbledore sighed, and Harry, for the first time, suddenly wondered just how old Dumbledore actually was. He'd never looked or acted his age in the entire time Harry had known the man. But to see the look on Dumbledore's face now made Harry wonder just how stressed he truly was.

"She is," Dumbledore admitted softly. "He believes that your sister is loyal to him, and he is thrilled by that. Beth doesn't fully understand why she is of such interest to him, but she utilises it to her advantage nonetheless."

"Has he made her do anything?" Harry asked, unconsciously holding his breath as she waited for an answer.

"Beyond playing messenger for him, no," Dumbledore replied. "He wishes for her to take the Mark this weekend."

"She told Sn – Professor Snape that she didn't want to take it," Harry said.

Dumbledore nodded. He'd already heard the argument about the Mark.

"Unfortunately I have no idea how to avoid having the Mark placed upon her. So, if you have any suggestions, I'd be more than happy to hear them."

Harry paused, trying to think of any way to keep his sister from having to take the Mark. The problem was, without giving her away as a double agent, there was no way of stopping his sister from being formally inducted into the Death-Eaters.


	29. The Punishment

CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE: THE PUNISHMENT

With her head bent down, she could no longer see where Voldemort was, except for the vague sense she got of his robes disturbing the air around her as he circled her like a predator. She willed herself to remain calm, but she was on the verge of panic. She'd known this was coming, but she'd hoped that her father would insist that she wait until coming of age before accepting the Dark Mark. Unfortunately, Voldemort seemed to like the idea of a fifteen year old in his service who'd already made the conscious choice to remain loyal to him.

Her palms were sweating she was sure of it, and the quiet sounds of two dozen Death-Eaters standing in a semi-circle to watch the initiation was not making helping her nerves. She didn't dare look up at the only two friendly faces in the crowd, though she knew exactly where Snape and Giles where both standing.

"You have ever been my loyal servant, have you not, Beth?" Voldemort asked.

"I have, my lord," she replied.

"You wish to serve only me?"

"I do, my lord."

"You will never betray me, will you?"

"Never, my lord."

Her heart was pounding furiously. She wanted this over with as quickly as possible. Of course, the Dark Lord had other ideas.

"If you are truly loyal…will you care to explain what this is?" he asked, shoving several pieces of parchment beneath her nose.

Buffy stared at the parchment, her breath catching in her throat. She knew exactly what that was. It was a crude sketch of the Azkaban prison, arrows and names scribbled into the margins. It was the plans of the Death-Eaters for the infiltration of the most secure facility in the wizarding world. She'd sent them to Dumbledore earlier that week, using one of the school owls so that none of the Slytherins would notice her going to Dumbledore's office for no apparent reason. Obviously something had gone very, very wrong.

"I've never seen them before, my lord," she replied.

He grabbed her by the hair and yanked her head back so that she was looking up at him.

"You lie."

"N-no," she replied nervously.

He shoved her ferociously, and she landed on her hands to keep from slamming face-first into the ground.

In the crowd of Death-Eaters, Snape and Giles very deliberately did not look at each other, though the urge to go and help the girl was strong in both of them. This was not what they'd been expecting when they'd been summoned this evening.

"My 'most faithful' servant has been lying to me," Voldemort announced. "Not only to me, but to all of you. To the man who raised her."

Benjamin Zabini's eyes held murder within them, and he stared at the young girl with disdain. She was humiliating the family name, and he couldn't believe that she had betrayed him, betrayed their lord. It seemed incomprehensible. He didn't understand how this could have happened.

"You have been reporting everything that we say back to your precious Headmaster, haven't you?" Voldemort demanded, his wand pointed at the girl who lay at his feet.

"N-never, I swear," she replied.

"_Crucio_!"

Snape and Giles both flinched as they heard Buffy scream. Voldemort just circled the twitching girl, watching in satisfaction as the Cruciatus Curse ripped through her body. He removed the spell and looked down at her, shaking his head in disappointment.

"You're just like your parents, girl. Cowardly!" he spat.

Buffy slowly sought out the eyes of her father within the crowd, wondering why on earth the Dark Lord was calling one of his most favoured servants a coward. But instead of seeing worry in her father's eyes, all she saw was disdain, anger and hatred. She looked away quickly, unable to bear the sight.

"Your father died begging for his life," Voldemort continued. "Will you now do the same?"

"My father..." she whispered in confusion.

Voldemort laughed coldly and knelt at her side, grabbing hold of her chin and tilting it upwards.

"You don't honestly think that an honourable man such as Benjamin Zabini could have produced an heir that was a vile betrayer, do you?" Voldemort asked. "No girl, you are not his. You were to be my greatest victory over Dumbledore. Over those bloody Potter's who continued to be thorns in my side. A true heiress of Gryffindor, as a servant to the last descendant of the Slytherins. The youngest in Godric Gryffindors line. And what a disappointment you have turned out to be."

Buffy's mind was spinning wildly. This wasn't making any sense whatsoever. Except, if she stopped to think about it, it did. Ben Zabini had always pushed her to be the best Death-Eater, even though he largely ignored his eldest Slytherin daughter.

"So you see, my child…you were nothing more than a failed experiment," Voldemort whispered. "You were raised to be loyal to me. The youngest of the Potter line, and the twin sister of the boy who was prophesised to be my downfall. But you, little girl, will never amount to anything more than a quivering pile of madness when my loyal followers are through with you. Zabini…I believe you are entitled to punish your 'daughter' as you see fit."

Zabini stepped forward, bowing his head to the Dark Lord before pointing his wand at Buffy. With all the anger, resentment and pain of betrayal inside of him, he cursed at his daughter and watched with cold eyes as she screamed in pain.

------------------------

Dumbledore was pacing the length of his study, and the sudden swish of movement broke his pattern. He looked up to see Rupert Giles and Professor Snape standing, a Popsicle stick held between them, the portkey that had brought them to his study. Dumbledore's eyes searched frantically for any sign of their young protégé, but she was conspicuously missing.

"What happened?" Dumbledore demanded.

"Voldemort's spies must have intercepted a communication of Buffy's. Plans of the attack on Azkaban. The Dark Lord was…unhappy to say the least," Snape replied.

"They're torturing her," Giles said, his voice tight and an unfamiliar knot of uneasiness had settled in his chest.

"Could you not get her out without revealing yourselves?" Dumbledore asked.

"Not without getting her killed," Giles replied. "Zabini has her this evening. He invited me to join him, seeing as how he believes that I had no part in her betrayal of him. He believes that I should feel as strongly about this as he does. I had no other choice but to accept his offer to join him this evening. I have done some despicable things in my time as a spy, but…I cannot harm her. I -will not- harm her."

Dumbledore leant back in his chair, his mind working overtime as he contemplated the position they were now in.

"Several members of the Order will jump at the chance to stage a rescue," Dumbledore said. "With any luck, we can get her out of Zabini's house without losing Miss Potter completely."

"I'm meant to meet him in two hours. To give him enough 'alone' time with her," Giles said, his voice soft and pained at the thought of what his protégé was having to endure.

"She's strong, Rupert," Dumbledore assured him. "She'll pull through."

Any option other than a good outcome seemed too unbearable to consider.

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REPOST: No idea why it was in italics, sorry.

Again, thanks for all the lovely reviews!


	30. The Aftermath

CHAPTER THIRTY: THE AFTERMATH

The plan had been crude, quick and dirty. Get in, get Buffy, and get out. It wasn't sophisticated, it wasn't the invasion of Normandy, but it was effective.

Within ten minutes of Rupert Giles arriving at the Zabini manor, seven members of the Order of the Phoenix, including Sirius and Lupin, had apparated into Zabini's front yard. From there, they broke down the door and stormed the house.

Rupert Giles had managed to keep his cover as a spy. He'd shouted several misplaced hexes that had bounced harmlessly away from the Order members, and Benjamin Zabini believed that he was truly trying to keep Buffy in their midst to punish her properly. And hate it though he did, Giles stayed on at the Zabini's, consoling Zabini about being unable to properly discipline his 'daughter'.

The other Order members port-keyed the young spy back to Hogsmeade, and quickly took her up to the school where she was promptly cloistered in the infirmary. All they were waiting for now, was for Buffy to stop staring blankly out the window, and to say something. Anything. And they'd already been waiting for forty-nine hours.

Her silence worried them all. Nothing had made her respond. She hadn't even flinched when Sirius had started yelling at her to snap out of it. She'd just continued staring dispassionately out the window.

According to Madam Pomfrey, there was nothing wrong with her vocal chords, and that her brain hadn't sustained any damage. The girl was just upset and in pain and trying to deal with it in her own way. If that was in silence, then they needed to let her have that.

None of the students had been allowed access to the private room in the infirmary, and even though Harry and his friends were chafing at the bit to be allowed inside, they hadn't managed to get past the password-protected doorway. And Dumbledore was smart enough to change the password every two or so hours to ensure that if the trio eavesdropped, by the time they could had a chance to get to the portrait, the password was different.

After four days of silence, Remus Lupin had had enough.

"Albus, you need to let her see her friends," the werewolf argued. "She did all of this for them. In a way, she probably feels like she failed them by being caught. If they told her that she did the best she could, then…I don't know, maybe she'd at least react."

"Somehow I doubt that Potter would have anything positive to say to her," Snape replied dryly.

Sirius glared at the Potions Professor, but didn't comment. He'd had to listen to many of Harry's angry rants over the last few days, while the teen raged over not being allowed to see his sister. It hadn't been fun.

"What about Blaise?" Rupert suggested. "She's been the most level-headed of the children. Not to mention the fact that they grew up together. They may not be blood sisters, but I doubt that this will pull them apart."

Dumbledore let the suggestions fly around in his mind, trying to work out the different outcomes of each scenario. Then again, if Buffy continued her silent act, he would be willing to try just about anything.

"Let Miss Zabini in," Dumbledore announced.

----------------------

Blaise closed the door softly behind her, and took a moment to stare at her sister. Her heart clenched painfully. It hadn't been explained in detail about what exactly had happened. She knew that Buffy wasn't her biological sister. But her memories didn't lie. She remembered growing up with the blonde girl, playing on their brooms, and practising harmless spells and pranks on each other. She could remember the late night talks, and the early morning adventures out of the manor and into the woods that surrounded the house.

"Hey Buff," she whispered softly, approaching her sister. "How are you doing?"

Silence greeted her.

Dumbledore had warned her that this would happen. That Buffy hadn't spoken a single word since being taken from their father's house.

She stepped forward, her hand reaching out to touch her sister's lower back, her brown eyes clearly showing their worry. Her sister flinched away from the touch, but never broke her gaze away from the lake outside.

Blaise breathed in deeply, trying to stay calm. She knew that the adults were at the end of their rope, and that if she couldn't get through to Buffy, then they would have to try more drastic approaches.

"Remember back at the house?" Blaise asked. "You said that you'd explain things to me. You swore to me, that you'd tell me what the hell happened."

She watched as green eyes finally reacted. Guilt, fear, anger, sorrow flashed through the depths of emerald green eyes, and Blaise wondered what secrets those eyes truly held.

"Buffy…please?" Blaise whispered softly. "You're my sister."

"No," Buffy rasped, her first word in days. "I'm not."

Blaise sucked in a breath. While she was thankful that her sister had finally spoken, she wished that it hadn't been to say those words.

"Remember when we were eight? Mum left us alone in the house for the first time. We ended up getting locked in the attic," Blaise said, hoping for a more positive response. "We were stuck in there for hours, and I couldn't stop screaming. And there you were, calm as anything. You broke a window and climbed down so you could unlock the door for me. I grew up with you. I am your sister Buffy. Just because we're not related by blood, doesn't mean that you're not family to me."

Silence once more. Blaise sighed, wondering just what she could do to help her sister. It never even occurred to her to stop thinking of Buffy that way. It didn't matter that they weren't related. In every way that counted, they were sisters.

"Buffy…please don't shut me out."

Sad green eyes turned to meet Blaise's brown eyes, and Blaise had to stop herself from stepping back at the emotions that were clearly showing.

"Trust me Blaise, you don't want in on this," Buffy replied quietly. "He's still your father. You have to sit across the dinner table from him. With luck I'll never see him again."

Blaise took a chance and stepped closer to the blonde, taking hold of Buffy's hand, and gently stroking her wrist in a soothing pattern.

"I always wondered why he was so uptight about you being 'groomed'," Blaise said. "I get it now."

"I wish I did."

Being told the facts about her true origins was one thing. Understanding exactly what that meant was another. She wasn't a Zabini by blood. She was actually a Potter. She didn't know what to think about that. She and Harry were twins. She knew that Harry wanted to see her, but she just didn't know what to say to him. What exactly did you say to your long-lost twin brother?

It seemed so far-fetched, like something out of one of Xander's soap operas.

"I wish I could say I'm sorry that he kidnapped you," Blaise said quietly. "I just…I can't imagine growing up without you. I don't even want to think about it."

Buffy twisted their fingers together, squeezing Blaise's hand tightly.

"Me neither."

That was half the problem. She couldn't bare the thought of what her father – not her father – had done to her. She hated the fact that she'd been used as some sort of pawn in a giant game of politics. That she'd been born to different parents, who had lost her when she was only just two years old. She wished she could remember them. It would have made all of this so much easier if she had any sort of memories of the Potters, and of Harry.

She'd grown up with Blaise. They'd had a connection that had been so easy, and so comfortable. They'd had to rely on each other for friendship, companionship. They'd squabbled like siblings, but they'd always reconciled by the end of the day.

"The others are pretty worried about you," Blaise said softly.

Buffy nodded. She'd figured as much. Her silence hadn't been a plot to frustrate anyone, but she just hadn't been able to bring herself to articulate the thoughts running rampant through her mind.

"I don't really know what they want me to say," Buffy admitted.

"I think they'd be happy with anything at this point," Blaise replied.

Buffy smiled a little before closing her eyes and leaning forward to rest her head on Blaise's shoulder. The elder girl raised a hand to stroke her fingers through fine blonde hair.

"I wish things had been different for you," Blaise whispered. "That father hadn't been so keen to use you to get into the Dark Lord's good books. I wish I could have helped you through all this."

"You did," Buffy replied softly. "You kept me sane Blaise. You never gave up on me. No matter how I acted, you never gave up."

"And I never will," Blaise swore.

Buffy swallowed hard, trying to hold back tears. Blaise saw the internal struggle and pulled her younger sister into a crushing hug, the two girls holding onto each other for dear life.

It had been years since they'd been able to show this level of affection for each other. And despite the years of separation that had passed, and despite the stony silence between them, despite not being related by blood, there was nothing that could keep the sisters apart.

The clung to each other for minutes on end, drawing strength form the other, their tears slowing until the hug finally loosened and they stepped back, their fingers still linked, unable to give up the bond completely.

"What's going to happen now?" Blaise asked.

Buffy shook her head and shrugged. "I really don't know. I mean, Voldemort's been pretty gung ho about killing Harry for whatever really happened thirteen years ago. If Big V can hold a grudge that long, I don't even want to think about how pissed he's going to be at me for what I did."

Blaise frowned, her brow furrowing as she listened to her sister speaking. It was so different than the precise manner she'd adopted since her return to Hogwarts at the beginning of the school year. It was different to how she'd spoken four years ago. In fact, Buffy sounded almost…

"You sound American," Blaise said in confusion. "Some of your words, the phrasings."

Buffy nodded a little. Now that she'd dropped the act, she'd fallen back into her old habits. Her British accent was tinged with the Americanisation that she'd chameleoned off Xander and Willow.

"That's where I was for the last few years," Buffy replied. "I've been in California learning…well, all sorts of things. I took acting lessons to perfect the whole 'dutiful daughter' thing."

"Why didn't you tell me?" Blaise asked.

"Because, our –your- father is a dangerous man. He'd have known if you knew what I was really doing. Have you ever heard of Leglimency?" Buffy asked.

"Very vaguely," Blaise replied.

"Well, your father can perform leglimency. And if your surface thoughts aren't what he wants to see, then you're in big trouble. I've been learning how to compartmentalise my thoughts, and how to keep him out of my head," Buffy explained. "I've learnt a lot of things about the Death-Eaters."

Blaise looked away, still unsure about where she stood in the grand scheme of things. On the one hand, her family supported the Dark Lord. Always had, always would. Her father just expected that she would follow in his footsteps. Unfortunately for Ben Zabini, he hadn't paid his eldest daughter any attention, and she hadn't had the regime drummed into her mind, as Buffy had had.

Then again, Blaise had seen the evil and horror that the Death-Eaters had inflicted on her sister. She'd seen Buffy carted into the infirmary, her body bruised, battered and bloodied. She'd been told about her sister's silence, and the deep depression that Buffy had fallen into. She'd seen the abuse that her father had put Buffy through, all in the name of Lord Voldemort.

She'd been brought up with the teachings of the Dark Lord. She'd never considered the fact that the Dark Lord was the evillest, most power-hungry wizard who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals. What they'd done to Buffy, attempting to twist her mind and use her as a sort of slave, just because she was a descendant of Godric Gryffindor was nothing short of disgusting.

But Blaise still had to deal with her parents, and eventually with the Dark Lord himself. It was all well and good for her to say that she wanted nothing to do with the Death-Eaters, which was true, the more she thought about it. Unfortunately, the reality was that she would likely never get to make her own choice in the matter.

"As for what happens next…I really wish I knew," Buffy said quietly. "I never really thought about what would happen if I was ever found out. I…I've lost my family."

"You've got me," Blaise said automatically. "And…and you've got Harry now."

"Harry," Buffy repeated, unable to believe that the boy she'd befriended in First Year, only to turn away from six months later was her brother. Her twin.

Her biological parents were dead, killed by Voldemort himself. She'd been kidnapped by Lucius Malfoy in the dead of night. Ben Zabini had taken her with him when he'd fled during the last of the raids on the Death-Eater lairs. She'd been raised with one purpose in mind. To curry favour with the Dark Lord when he returned.

She was a Potter. Elizabeth Anne Potter. That certainly explained why she'd been placed into Gryffindor so many years ago.

//_"Elizabeth, eh? Hmmm…a lot like your sibling really. Courage, bravery, talent and plenty of it. A nice thirst to prove yourself…Ohhh…a spark of darkness as well," the Hat whispered, tickling the hairs on her neck. "But where to put you my dear…"_

_"In my family's house," Buffy thought quickly. _

_"You're certain?"_

_"Yes!" _

_"Alright then…GRYFFINDOR!"//_

She'd asked to be placed with her family. The Potter's. Harry James Potter. The Boy-Who-Lived. The one person her father had told her to stay away from. Her twin.

"We've spent thirteen years listening to our parents badmouth Harry Potter, and Professor Dumbledore and all of Gryffindor. And until now, I've been right there with them, just going with it, because it's easier. Because…because I didn't want to end up like you," Blaise admitted shamefully. "But the truth is, the Gryffindors are good people. Anyone who could kidnap a child and…and manipulate them like they did to you is just…it's wrong. And I wish I could promise you that I'll never be a part of it all, but, I'm…I'm not strong Buffy. I'm not like you. I don't think I could ever go through the things you've been through."

"I wouldn't want you to," Buffy murmured.

They sat in contemplative silence for a moment, neither sure of what their future held. HarryHHhhh

"Where…where will you live?" Blaise asked.

Buffy shook her head despondently. "I really don't know. I mean, from what I've heard of Harry's guardians, I wouldn't want to live with my aunt and uncle. I can't go…home."

"Professor Lupin said something about being your godfather," Blaise said quietly. "And, if I heard right, legally I think he has custody of you now."

"Great," Buffy said, laughing a humourless chuckle. "Moving in with a complete stranger is exactly what I want right now."

Blaise squeezed her sister's fingers, wondering how she could possibly offer comfort when things were just so screwed up.

"Think you're up to some visitors?" Blaise asked. "There's a lot of people who'd really like to see you."

"I guess so," Buffy replied. "I don't really care one way or another."

"Don't Buffy…don't shut yourself off like this," Blaise warned. "This whole situation is incredibly bizarre, but you can't let this destroy you. Not after everything you've been through. You are stronger than this. And if you let this destroy you, then the Dark Lord wins. He'll have ruined the youngest descendent of Godric Gryffindor, and that is what he wants. And if there's one thing that I know about Gryffindors, it's that their courage is limitless."

Buffy smiled a little, taking the words to heart. She felt a little lighter, thankful that her sister hadn't turned away from her like the rest of her family had.

"Dare I ask where you learnt how to give pep-talks like that?" Buffy teased.

Blaise winked, thankful that her sister hadn't been completely broken by the events of the past few days, nay years. "Natural talent."

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Many thanks for your reviews!! Glad you're enjoying it, even though it's been a while! *grin*


	31. The Twins

Thanks for all your lovely reviews!! Sorry about the italics in former posts, it's been fixed. No idea what went wrong there!!

CHAPTER THIRTY-ONE: THE TWINS

"Well?" No one had ever accused Sirius Black of being a patient man.

Blaise Zabini looked slightly taken aback by the forceful tone Sirius had taken the second she'd walked out of the infirmary.

"Well, she's talking again, if that's what you're asking," Blaise said.

There were sighs of relief all around.

"Can…can we see her?" Hermione asked apprehensively.

"Uh, I wouldn't recommend all of you going in at once, but Buffy doesn't mind if you want to visit," Blaise said.

Harry's eyes were practically daring anyone to try and stop him from seeing his sister. No one wanted to deal with another of Harry's rants, so they were willing to let him be among the first group.

"I'd probably suggest Harry, Ron and Hermione to go in first," Remus said quietly.

No matter how much it pained him to admit it, he'd only met Buffy once, in a rather quick manner, and it wasn't exactly a memorable meeting. His goddaughter had been polite, but aloof, very unsure why two members of the Order of the Phoenix had been so keen to meet her in person.

"I agree," Rupert Giles chimed in. "Everything she's done, she did for her friends, no matter how much it pained her to stay away from them. Seeing them…it will probably lift her spirits."

And so, Harry, Hermione and Ron had been let into the infirmary. Buffy was still seated by the window, staring out across the Forbidden Forest. Harry cleared his throat, and Buffy turned, nodding her greeting.

"Hello," Harry said quietly.

"Hi," Hermione added, trying to put as much empathy into the word as she could.

Buffy smiled tightly, but couldn't meet any of their eyes. She didn't know what to expect from them, but after the way she'd treated them, she wasn't expecting much.

"Do…do you mind if we sit down?" Harry asked.

"Feel free," Buffy replied.

The trio sat in awkward silence for a moment, before Buffy finally sighed, unable to take it a moment longer.

"I'm sorry," she blurted out.

"Sorry? Beth-"

"It's Buffy," the petite blonde interrupted, before Harry could go any further. "And don't try and tell me I have nothing to be sorry for. I…I know I hurt you. All of you. The way I treated you was pretty unforgivable."

"Professor Dumbledore told us everything," Hermione said. "What you did…"

"We all think it was pretty damn brave," Ron said, as Hermione was struck momentarily mute.

"And if anyone should apologise, it's us," Harry said, drinking in the sight of his twin sister, revelling in finally being able to acknowledge their connection. "For thinking that you'd really turn your back on us all. We should have known better."

Buffy blinked rapidly, trying to keep the tears at bay. She couldn't believe that they felt guilty about anything. It seemed so unlikely.

Buffy glanced up at her brother, taking in features that were somewhat similar to her own. They had the same eyes, and their ears were identical. She wondered how she'd missed these details so many years ago. She'd looked nothing like Blaise or either of her 'parents'. But she and Harry definitely looked alike.

"And you and I are really…"

"Twins," Harry said, unable to contain his smile. For years he'd wanted family, and to have his sister within arm's reach was incredible.

"That's kind of cool," Buffy said.

Their moment was spoiled by Hermione sniffling loudly and wiping away a tear. She glanced at the other three who were staring at her in amusement.

"What?" she snapped. "It's very touching."

Buffy grinned, and her heart swelled within her chest.

"I really missed you guys," she admitted. "I've got three years worth of letters for you all. Maybe it would help explain just what I've been doing. Why I agreed to all of this. They're up in our room 'Mione, hidden under my bed. I'm pretty sure you can undo the distraction charm on the box."

"You wrote us letters?" Hermione asked.

Buffy nodded. "Letters, Christmas cards, birthday cards. They're all there. Giles suggested I keep a journal to help me sort everything out, but…the letters worked better."

"Giles…he was your tutor," Hermione said. As Buffy nodded, the pieces all began to fall together. "That's why you sounded so…convicted about what you said the other week. That you truly were honoured to carry on his work."

"Let's just say that I got very good at lying while still telling the truth," Buffy said. "One of many things I was taught. It's harder to be caught in a lie if you believe what you're saying. I really do believe in what Giles taught me. It just really wasn't my problem that people assumed he was teaching me to serve the Dark Master-bater."

Hermione nearly swallowed her tongue, and Ron nearly fell of his chair from laughing too hard.

And Harry…Harry was starting to be convinced for the first time in his life, that maybe, just maybe he could actually make it through the coming war against Voldemort. With his sister at his side, with more knowledge about the Death-Eaters than anyone else their age, they'd have an advantage. And damn, if that didn't just feel good.

0000000000000

Later that afternoon, the secluded infirmary room had been cleared of all visitors except for one. Harry James Potter sat besides his twin sister's bedside, marvelling at the fact that he could finally admit their connection aloud. It was a heady feeling.

"Do you think we'll ever have that funky twin connection that Fred and George seem to have?" Buffy asked thoughtfully, her head tilted to the left.

Harry's head cocked to the right, the mirror image of his sister, the gesture completely unconscious.

"I dunno," he admitted. "Maybe…I mean, it's possible right? If Hogwarts has taught me anything, it's that everything is possible."

"That's definitely true," Buffy agreed.

"What I can't believe is that we never realised we were related," Harry said, annoyed at himself. His sister had been within his grasp for at least a year, and he'd never known it.

"Well, it's not like I could have known," Buffy said. "I was pretty convinced I was a Zabini until a few days ago. I never really even questioned the fact that Blaise is only five months older than I am. Like we said…anything is possible around here.

Harry frowned, going over his reaction to discovering the fact he had a sister. He hadn't found out until just before second year, and Buffy had disappeared that year. He wondered what would have happened had Buffy returned to Hogwarts that year. Would Harry have scrutinised the girl more closely? Would he have thought that the fact that they had the same colour eyes, and the fact that they shared the same birth date was mere coincidence, or something more?

But Buffy had been gone, and he hadn't given much thought to the girl. He knew that Hermione had missed the fourth member of their group, but they'd had a long time to become accustomed to being a trio.

"Well, I'm glad I found you," Harry said. "And even more so that you aren't really loyal to Voldemort."

"Definitely not loyal," Buffy said. "Worried about what he's planning in the way of revenge, but not loyal."


	32. The Rumours

Heh, that last chappie was a little short, huh...here's a freebie for the day...

CHAPTER THIRTY-TWO: THE RUMOURS

Buffy pushed her way past a group of glowering Slytherins who had been standing in the doorway, making a nuisance of themselves. She'd taken to charming herself with a protection charm just to make it through the day without her hair, clothes or books catching on fire due to an overly rambunctious Slytherin student trying to show off. With an emphatic roll of the eyes, Buffy took a seat next to Hermione, who was sitting in front of Harry and Ron.

"This is going to get real old, real fast," Buffy commented.

"The Slytherins?" Hermione asked sympathetically.

"Well, they were always annoying," Buffy said flippantly. "It's everyone else. You wouldn't believe some of the rumours flying around at the moment."

Ron snorted a little, having heard the rumours. Of course, knowing the truth about Harry and Buffy being related meant that a good portion of the rumours regarding Buffy's sudden acceptance into Harry Potter's inner circle were fairly disgusting.

"Some of them are actually fairly accurate, I must say," Hermione commented. "The last I heard, you were switched at birth, which is how the Zabini's ended up with-"

"A traitor?" Buffy finished. "Well, if they're stupid enough to follow the overgrown snake, then they're welcome to take my place."

Harry grinned at Buffy's accurate description. It was nice to finally associate with someone who didn't whimper or cower at the very mention of Lord Voldemort's name. In fact, Buffy seemed to take some sort of perverse pleasure in calling the Dark Lord childish names. It was certainly entertaining, and seemed to make the entire situation far less frightening.

Of course, Harry knew that were he to come face-to-face with 'Sir-Slithers-A-Lot', he definitely wouldn't find it so funny. But in the comfort of Hogwarts, with his twin at his side, he felt as though he could take on anyone and win.

"So…any thoughts on what name you'll be using?" Harry asked.

Buffy sighed and shook her head. While the school had heard about Benjamin Zabini disowning his youngest daughter for reasons that hadn't been disclosed, no one knew the truth about Buffy's true heritage. Professor Dumbledore felt it would be better if it remained quiet for the time being.

Buffy had no problem with that. She saw how everyone treated Harry, and she had no desire to start being called 'The Girl Who Was Captured…Oh And She Lived Too'.

Which meant that Buffy needed a new surname. And unfortunately, the two people she respected the most were still believed to be loyal to Voldemort, so she couldn't take the name Giles or Snape. She was tossing up taking the name Evans, but there were those who would instantly make the connection between Lily Evans and her missing daughter.

Which meant that Buffy needed something completely arbitrary that sounded halfway decent with her first name.

"I'm really coming up blank at the moment," Buffy admitted. "I was thinking of using Evans, but…it's a bit obvious."

Harry felt a swell of affection for his twin sister that he was still getting used to. He knew that things were very difficult for her, and he had yet to hear her say anything about her 'mother' or 'father' in relation to Lily and James, but hearing her thinking about using their mother's maiden name gave him hope.

"Doesn't Professor Dumbledore want an answer by this afternoon?" Ron asked.

"Yep. Which means I've got about four hours to come up with something halfway decent," Buffy said.

"We could go to the library after lessons end," Hermione suggested.

Ron groaned loudly. "Is that your answer to everything?" he griped. "It's not like Buffy can research a last name."

Hermione huffed and glared at him.

"For your information Ronald, I was going to suggest that we look at some of the author's surnames," Hermione said sharply. "But if it's too much for you to handle-"

"Alright class, settle down," Professor Flitwick announced as he wandered into the room and up to his teaching dais.

"Library, after Potions?" Buffy whispered, leaning towards Hermione.

The brunette nodded, thankful that her idea hadn't been shot down. Just because Ron couldn't think outside the box, didn't mean he needed to yell at her like that.

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"I think I just heard the best rumour in the history of Hogwarts," Buffy announced as she joined Harry and Ron outside the library.

Ron and Harry exchanged a look, knowing that Buffy's temper when dealing with the rapidly spreading rumours was mercurial at best.

"What was it?" Harry asked curiously.

"That Dumbledore's love-child of a daughter, and Voldemort's secret heir of a son had a torrid love-affair that resulted in a baby daughter – me."

Harry and Ron stared at Buffy in stunned silence. A few moments paused before Ron burst into terribly unmanly giggles at the entire idea.

"Romeo and Juliet eat your hearts out, huh?" Buffy jibed.

Ron managed to look confused, even while giggling, which made Harry wish for a camera, despite his own inclination to start laughing and never stop.

"It gets better," Buffy assured them. "Apparently I'm the reason the war began in the first place, because neither Voldemort nor Dumbledore was willing to give up their grandchild. Never mind the fact that the whole thing started about fifteen years before my illicit conception," Buffy explained.

Harry gave in to the laughter that had been threatening him, and joined Ron, bent double at the waist, clutching at each other as they laughed breathlessly.

A startled Hermione stopped in her tracks as she rounded the corner, worried by the two boys who were laughing, or rather giggling manically, and clutching each other for support.

"Dare I ask?" Hermione questioned, glancing at an innocent-looking Buffy who just offered an enigmatic smile.

"Let's just say that if I began calling myself, Dumblemort, not many people would be surprised," Buffy said.

Ron snorted, and almost choked on his laughter. "Dumblemort!"

Hermione spared the laughing pair a glance before looking back up at Buffy. "You've heard then?"

"That I'm the granddaughter love-child of both Dumbledore and the Riddler? Yeah, I heard," Buffy said.

Hermione shrugged, unsure what to think. She stepped around Harry and Ron and gestured towards the library doors. "Shall we?"

Buffy nodded and the two girls walked into the library, leaving the boys in the corridor, still chortling at the imagery, as Ron continued to repeat "Dumblemort," which only made the giggling worse.

Hermione lead Buffy towards a section of autobiography's of great witches and wizards of their time. The books were separated by the achievements of whomever the books were written about. Sporting legends, inventors, great potion makers, previous Ministers of Magic, famous musicians and many more categories. In a small section off to the side, and mostly untouched was a section devoted to muggle-borns and non-wizarding autobiographies.

From the corner of her eye, Buffy couldn't help but notice a small crest on the spine of a particularly thin journal. She'd seen the crest proudly displayed on a book in Willow Rosenberg's room, back in Sunnydale. And if Buffy wasn't mistaken, the crest that was beginning to fade was the coat of arms for the Watcher's Council.

Which meant that the slim journal that she was pulling out was a Watcher's Diary. Swallowing hard, Buffy ran her hand reverently over the soft-leather cover. The fact that it was so slim was not encouraging, especially if the journal was the entire chronicle of a Slayer.

Buffy opened the journal, taking in the inscription on the first page.

Edward James Pryce

Watcher to

Penelope Lillian Summers

1842 – 1846

Journal 6 of 6

The Final Battle

"What do you think of the name Jennings?" Hermione asked, holding up a random book from the great inventors section.

Buffy glanced up, but Hermione noticed her distraction.

"What've you got there?" Hermione asked.

"Just a journal," Buffy replied. "Pryce? Summers?"

"Buffy Pryce," Hermione said, trying out the name aloud. She grimaced and shook her head. "Buffy Summers. That's not too bad. What about Kellson?"

"Kuzzikan," Ron stated loudly, making both girls jump at the sudden intrusion from both boys who'd snuck up behind them with no warning. "Where do these people come from?"

"You've never noticed that wizards often have seriously strange names?" Hermione asked. "Come on Ron. Dumbledore? Tonks? Lupin? Weasley?"

"There's a lot of common names around though," Harry said. "Evans, Smith, Blake. They're not all that strange. And Potter's pretty common as well."

"Well, you might want to get used to having your name yelled along with Harry's," Ron suggested. "Potter! Weasley! Summers!"

Hermione fought a smile at Ron's antics. It was true enough, she supposed. The boys did have a tendency to attract trouble.

"Nah, I'm counting on Hermione teaching me how she manages to stay out of trouble with you two around," Buffy replied with a grin.

"Clean-living," Hermione dead-panned.

Harry grinned. He'd forgotten how easily the two girls had always got along. They'd been friends long before Ron and Harry had accepted Hermione and Buffy into the group. It was nice to see that they were falling back into an easy pattern of friendship, even after all the years of separation, and the few months of confusion that they'd had.

"Well, I don't know about anyone else, but I'm starving," Buffy said. "The name Summers works for me, so…let's grab some dinner."

"A woman after my own heart," Ron grinned.


	33. The Prophecy

Many thanks for all your lovely reviews!!

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CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE: THE PROPHECY

"Sir…I've been meaning to ask you about something," Buffy said, as she took a seat opposite the headmaster of Hogwarts.

The meeting for the Order of the Phoenix had just adjourned, and Buffy knew that it was safer for her to address this issue here than back at the school.

"By all means," Dumbledore invited.

"That night…the botched Dark Mark Ceremony," Buffy began. "Voldemort said something. He said the reason he took me, was because I'm the twin sister of the boy who was 'prophesied' to be his downfall. Now, I know that Voldemort isn't going to win any awards for his sanity, but…I mean, is he more nuts than we think, or was there really a prophecy about Harry?"

Dumbledore sighed deeply. This wasn't a conversation that he wanted to have. Especially without Harry in attendance. He knew that trying to keep secrets from the twins was just asking for trouble. And when one twin had half the story, the other generally had the missing piece.

"Perhaps this is a conversation best had with your brother in attendance," Dumbledore suggested.

"You don't seem too keen, sir," Buffy observed.

"That, Miss Summers, is an understatement."

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Harry Potter was trying to remember how to breathe. His face was pale, his hands were shaking, and his ears were ringing with the weight of what he'd just been told.

_The one born with the power to vanquish the Dark Lord approaches…  
Born to those who have thrice defied him, born as the seventh month dies…  
Born with a chosen shadow, whose favour will be swayed to darkness…  
And the Dark Lord will mark him as an equal, but he will have power the Dark Lord knows not…  
And either must die at the hands of the other, for neither can live while the other survives…  
The shadow shall thrive in the dark when the light devours the chosen…_

"Does that…that means that…" Harry couldn't even finish the thought, let alone trying to finish the sentence.

"That you and Voldemort will most likely face one another in a final duel," Dumbledore finished for him. "Yes, it does seem that way."

"But…I mean, it's still pretty vague, isn't it?" Harry asked.

"Born as the seventh month dies," Buffy murmured thoughtfully. "For all Voldemort knew, it could have meant anyone born at the end of July. Hell, it could have meant Neville for all he knew. And it might not even have been a newborn. It's not like Harry's got a monopoly on being born as the seventh month dies."

"Ahh, but the next part was fairly specific," Dumbledore said. "For Harry's twin was mentioned. And _that_ is why you were taken fourteen years ago. Unfortunately, prophecies are tricky things. Miss Summers is correct when she suggested that it could have been an older wizard born at the end of July, who also had a twin."

Harry went over the prophecy in his mind, trying to work out where his sister was mentioned, but he was coming up blank.

"I must have missed something Professor," Harry confessed. "Where's Buffy mentioned?"

"Your 'chosen shadow'," Dumbledore replied. "Buffy is twelve hours younger. A shadow, if you will."

"'A chosen shadow, swayed to darkness'," Buffy mused. "I suppose that does pretty accurately describe how I grew up. Not happy about being called a 'shadow', but I can deal."

"Except for the last part," Harry said angrily. "What was that last bit about the shadow?"

Dumbledore looked gravely between the twins. He knew that this news wasn't at all what they wanted to hear. He certainly didn't want to say it, and he knew that this news could only devastate them both.

"The shadow shall thrive in the dark when the light devours the chosen," Dumbledore recited.

Harry shook his head, trying to decipher the cryptic statement.

Buffy breathed in deeply and sat back in her seat.

"So…no matter the outcome of the war…only one of us is going to survive. And cos Voldemort's temptation techniques suck, Harry wins the war…and I die," Buffy summed up.

"WHAT?! How'd you figure that?" Harry asked.

"When the light devours the chosen," Buffy said. "Apparently I can only 'thrive' -meaning live- in the darkness. And fun as it was getting tortured by the Dark Lord, and all, I'm not that keen on kneeling in front of him ever again."

Harry swallowed hard. This wasn't what he wanted to hear.

To suddenly hear that his whole life had been prophesied. That losing his sister, battling Voldemort, and ultimately deciding which of the Potter twins was to die, had all been part of some prophecy made over fifteen years earlier.

"And to think…Voldemort could have stopped it all if he hadn't been so damn afraid," Buffy said thoughtfully. "If he hadn't been so damn scared of losing his power base, he'd never have gone after Harry and I. If he'd left us alone, hell, if he'd sent anyone else to kill Harry that night…none of this would be happening. It's self-fulfilling…damn that's annoying."

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"How can you be so bloody calm about this?!" Harry yelled.

Buffy glanced at him, one eyebrow raised expectantly. "And how, prey tell, is yelling about it going to help?"

"I just found you Buffy," Harry exclaimed. "I'm not about to let you go without a fight."

"Well, no, that's the whole point, really," Buffy said. "The fight against Voldemort. Look, Harry, I wouldn't really put much store in the whole prophecy thing. The only reason it's got so much power is because Voldemort gave it power. By believing what it said, he made it true. Hell, for all we know, it may not even mean I'll die."

Harry did not look overly comforted by the calm explanation. He was quite content to be irate for several more hours, if not days. Hearing that he would lose his sister if they won the war was not something he wanted to face.

"Besides which, it's not like you're about to do battle with Tall-Dark-and-Snakey tomorrow, right? This whole thing could take years," Buffy reminded him. "It took them over ten years to do anything about Voldemort's reign of terror, and even that was completely unplanned."

Harry sighed and took a seat. He glanced at his sister, noticing her complete aura of calm, wondering how she managed it.

"Why are you so calm about this?" he asked quietly.

Buffy sighed and reached across to squeeze Harry's hand comfortingly.

"Harry…I've had three years preparing to do whatever it took to bring Voldemort down. I was prepared to cower and scrape before Lord Cranky-Pants, and I would have done it," Buffy reminded him. "Whether we like it or not, prophecy or not, Voldemort needs to be stopped. And if the end result is me dying, then…well, so be it."

Three years ago she wouldn't have been this calm. Hell, a year ago she wouldn't have been this calm. But the training she'd been receiving from Giles, not only in Death-Eater etiquette, but as a Potential Slayer in Training, she was resigned to the idea of dying young. If she was ever called as a Slayer, which she fully believed she would be, she knew that she probably wouldn't make it to twenty years old.

She didn't like it. Not one bit. There were plenty of things that she would rather be doing, but the bigger picture needed to be served. Giles had drilled that into her, and she truly believed it. If she could impart that knowledge onto her brother, then she would try to do that.

"I don't even want to think about it," Harry said, his face a pale shade of green.

"Then don't," Buffy replied. "Don't think about it Harry. Don't give this prophecy anymore power than it already has. No one knows how this will end. And not to burst the 'we're gonna win' bubble, but, Voldemort could still win the war, even if your shadow's turned from the dark."

Harry scowled. He didn't want to think about that possibility anymore than the other. The prophecy had to be wrong! He didn't know if he could live with the thought of his last family member being killed, just because he defeated Voldemort.

His shadow. Harry couldn't help but wonder at the odd phrase that had come from the prophecy. It wasn't the way he'd have chosen to describe his twin. Though, when he thought about it, the description was accurate enough, from what he'd seen of other twins. Fred and George were inseparable, and Parvati and Padma were only separated because they weren't in the same house.

"So…how are you going to break this to Ron and 'Mione?" Buffy asked.

Harry looked up, his eyes widening in fear. "You want to tell them?"

"Uh, yeah!" Buffy exclaimed. "You didn't seriously plan to leave them in the dark about this, did you?"

Harry swallowed hard, shrugging his shoulders. "I hadn't really thought that far ahead to be honest."

Buffy rolled her eyes. Her twin really was very much living in the now. He didn't seem to be able to look at the big picture yet. Then again, it had taken Buffy the better part of two years to realise how much bigger the war was then she'd first assumed. The big picture was startling and horribly real. She really couldn't blame her brother for not wanting to see all of the picture.

"Harry, like it or not, they're with you in this. They'd follow you to hell and back, whether you asked them to or not," Buffy said.

Harry had never really thought about their friendship like that before. He knew that Ron and Hermione had both risked amazing amounts to be friends with him. They had been placed in danger time and time again because of him, and they still stood by him. He knew he'd never meet anyone as loyal as his two best friends, and he was tremendously grateful for their friendships everyday.

The thought of them following him, possibly to their deaths, was horrifying. But he knew that Buffy spoke the truth. Whether he asked them to, or not, they would follow him to the end, regardless of the dangers to themselves.

"I uh…I suppose I'll tell them tonight, then," Harry said quietly.


	34. The Scar

And a free chapter for the day...

CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR: THE SCAR

Buffy Summers was grumpy. She had the headache from hell, her homework seemed to be multiplying no matter how much of it she finished, and to make matters even worse, she'd managed to get hit with a hiccupping curse by one of the Slytherins. Every time she'd tried ending the spell, she'd hiccupped halfway through a word, and negated the charm.

Thankfully, Harry, Ron and Hermione would get out of Care of Magical Creatures at any minute, and put her out of her misery. Until then, she would just try to get rid of them the muggle way.

Ten minutes later, the fifth year Gryffindors made their way back into the Common Room, the students dispersing around the room, and settling in to do homework. Buffy was trying not to speak, for fear of embarrassing herself. It was easier to hiccup silently when she kept her mouth closed. She quickly scribbled a note to Hermione.

The bushy-haired brunette read the note and couldn't help but giggle. Of course, the giggling got worse as Buffy scowled.

"What?" Ron asked, curious as to why Hermione was looking so gleeful when Buffy looked as though she'd quite cheerfully throttle the other girl.

Hermione pulled out her wand and pointed it at Buffy. "Finite Incantatum!"

Buffy let out a sigh of relief. She waited several seconds, ensuring that her hiccups had disappeared. Thirty seconds later she smiled in satisfaction.

"Thanks 'Mione," she said with a smile.

"Should I even ask?" Harry asked.

"Hiccupping Curse," Buffy replied. "One of the Slytherins. They don't have the guts to do anything too damaging, so they just go for annoying."

Ron and Harry rolled their eyes and sat down at Buffy's table to start on their homework. Buffy glanced up at her brother as she saw him rubbing on the scar on his forehead.

"You alright?" she asked.

Harry grimaced a little. "Yeah, I'm okay. My scar's kind of twinging today."

"Is that normal?" she asked.

"Unfortunately."

"Uh…right."

"It gets better too," Harry assured Buffy, his voice tinged with sarcasm. "The scar reacts to Voldemort. The closer he is, the more it hurts. And lately it's been getting worse, so I think the stronger he gets, the more it'll hurt."

"Wow…and I thought I was hard done by," Buffy commented, absently reaching up to rub her forehead in an effort to sooth her headache. "I've got the mother of all headaches."

Hermione looked between them thoughtfully. Buffy and Harry were each rubbing their foreheads, in exactly the same spot. She didn't think it was a coincidence.

"Buffy…you remember that night, back in first year when you had to be taken to the hospital wing?" Hermione asked.

Buffy nodded. She remembered it all too well.

"Lavender and Parvarti said that you looked as though you were having a seizure. That you were pressing the heel of your hand to your head," Hermione said.

Buffy nodded once more, wondering what this had to do with anything.

"You don't think it's odd that you and Harry both have headaches at the same time? That you went into a seizure at the exact moment that Professor Quirrell and Voldemort were trying to kill Harry?" Hermione asked.

Buffy paused, glancing at Harry. Harry couldn't have looked more surprised if he tried. He'd been wondering if he and Buffy had some sort of connection, and apparently he hadn't needed to wait all that long to discover one.

"D'you have headaches a lot?" Harry asked.

"Not all that often," Buffy replied. "But…well, the night in the graveyard. It took everything I had not to collapse when Voltron touched you. I'd never felt anything like that. Like a-"

"Nail through the head," Harry finished.

"Fred and George are kind of the same," Ron offered. "They always get sick at exactly the same time."

"Even in the muggle world, twins often have an almost preternatural connection," Hermione said.

"Well, I don't know if you'd get any more preternatural than Harry and I," Buffy said with a grin. "Who else do we know who's got a prophesy hanging over their heads?"

Harry scowled at the thought. He didn't like being reminded of the prophecy that had been made about he and Buffy. The very thought of it was enough to turn his stomach.

"So besides Harry's headaches…I wonder if there's anything else we share," Buffy mused. She turned to look at her twin. "Y'know, I'd have been happy for you to share your Firebolt. You really didn't need to share your headaches."

Harry grinned, thankful that his twin seemed so relaxed about the revelation. He idly wondered whether or not he'd got more than his fair share of a temper. His twin seemed so much calmer than he was. Then again, it may have been the fact that she'd spent three years learning how to behave. He shouldn't have been surprised that at least some of it had stuck more permanently.

"Hmmm…"

All eyes turned to Hermione, who was looking between Buffy and Harry thoughtfully.

They waited for Hermione to divulge her thoughts, but after nearly forty seconds, Ron got impatient.

"What?"

Hermione snapped to attention. "What?"

"You said 'hmmm' and looked thoughtful," Harry prompted.

"Oh…that. Well…if Buffy's getting symptoms of that scar, then…well, You-Know-Who passed on a pretty rare power to you Harry," Hermione said. "You're a Parseltongue."

Buffy looked at Harry appraisingly. She hadn't known that. Why hadn't she known that? She rolled her eyes. She and Harry really needed to sit down and play a hundred and twenty questions sooner or later.

"Have you ever spoken to a snake?" Harry asked curiously.

"Excluding Queen Voldemort, no," Buffy replied.

Harry snickered at the title, while Hermione tried not to look too scandalised. They were slowly getting used to Buffy's derogatory remarks in regards to Voldemort, and even looked forward to hearing what else Buffy could come up with. They had yet to hear her repeat a name in regards to the Dark Lord, and Harry found the whole thing particularly enjoyable. Ron was undecided. He knew that Voldemort was powerful, and he was still frightened to say the true name, let alone a massacred version that made fun of one of the most powerful wizards in history.

"Have you ever tried?" Hermione asked.

"Y'know…I don't know why I didn't think of it before," Buffy replied dryly.

Hermione smirked at her friend.

"Well…the next time you see a snake, you can try then," Hermione suggested.

Buffy saluted.

Hermione grinned, and Ron snickered. Without warning, Harry suddenly went rigid, his eyes rolling to the back of his head, and his chair hitting the ground as the Boy-Who-Lived collapsed. Both Ron and Hermione raced to his side, even as they realised that Buffy had hit the ground a moment after her brother.

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Harry awoke, his head pounding, his vision blurred. A fuzzy hand appeared in front of him, holding his glasses, and he thankfully put them on, the haziness coming into sharp focus, Hermione's worried expression the first thing to register.

"H'mione...wha' happen'd?"

"You collapsed...you and Buffy both," she replied quietly.

Harry sat up quickly, his eyes finding his twin instantly. Her brow was furrowed, as though she worried even in sleep.

"Is she alright?" Harry asked, suddenly far more awake and alert than he'd been only moments before.

"Madam Pomfrey gave you both Dreamless Sleep potion. It seemed to work on you, but...but not on Buffy."

Harry grimaced, wondering what had caused the sudden seizure. He worried for his twin, desperate to see her wake. He pushed the duvet off, and slid off the bed, walking shakily to Buffy's side. Before he could reach her, his sister's eyes snapped open.

"Azkaban," she breathed out. "Azkaban's fallen."

Hermione and Harry looked at each other in fear. This could only mean that things could only become worse. The prisoners of Azkaban were primarily followers of the Dark Lord. If Azkaban had fallen, then the Dark Lord would have more and more followers to do his bidding. And the bulk of them would be raving lunatics, hell-bent on revenge against those who had left them to deal with their worst nightmares for more than a decade.

When morning came, the Daily Prophet was screaming its headlines for all to here. "DEMENTORS DEFECTED; DEATH-EATERS ESCAPED."

Bellatrix, Rodolphos and Rabastan Lestrange were only three of the dozens who escaped. But the names were stuck in Harry's memory. They were the three Death-Eaters that Voldemort had mentioned as being his most loyal, most vicious servants.

"When Azkaban is broken open, the Lestranges will be honoured beyond their dreams."

And now, they were free from Azkaban and no doubt would be hunting down any and all who opposed their Lord.


	35. The Chosen

CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE: THE CHOSEN

Potions with the Slytherins was, as always, the worst part of every Friday afternoon. It was the last lesson of the day, and Professor Snape had no problems whatsoever with assigning a boatload of homework for the weekend.

They were to research the uses of the memory potion they'd just created, and give examples of why it was deeply frowned upon to use on another witch or wizard. Snape had kept a very close eye on every student to ensure none of them took any samples with them.

The entire class, Slytherin included, sighed with relief as they were dismissed for the day.

"Miss Summers, a word, if you please?"

Buffy glanced at Snape, whose expression was unreadable. She nodded to Harry, who looked very worried about leaving his sister in Snape's presence for the first time since her return from the Dark Mark Ceremony.

Snape waited somewhat patiently as the rest of the class left for the free hour before dinner. When the students had left, Snape locked the door, and charmed the room so that their conversation couldn't be overheard, even by Harry who was lingering in the corridor, his ear against the door.

"Sir?" Buffy prompted him, when Snape hesitated.

"The Dark Lord is…understandably unhappy with his current situation in regards to your escape," Snape said.

"I figured as much," Buffy replied. "I'm sort of surprised that he hasn't tried anything yet. It's been over a week. I'm sure oodles of Slytherin kids would love a chance at turning me in."

Snape nodded. She wasn't wrong. He'd overhead many plans to do just that, but so far, he'd been able to circumvent them. With a well-placed whisper to Professor McGonagall, Snape had ensured that any of the plotting students had been placed on detention for some minor infraction or another. It was just lucky that his Slytherin students were such trouble-makers, that they didn't question getting detentions at the drop of a hat.

"He knows that he has a traitor among his Death-Eaters," Snape said. "He has yet to accuse anyone, but he is warier than ever. Your timely rescue only made him even more certain that someone is leaking information."

"Do you think he suspects you or Giles?" Buffy asked worriedly.

"He suspects everyone," Snape replied evenly. "His paranoia is even more pronounced this time. That is the problem with having allies, rather than friends. Most of the Death-Eaters would turn on him if they had the power themselves."

"Not surprising," Buffy commented. "I'm surprised that no one's ever really tried to stage a coup from the inside."

Snape fell silent, wondering how he was supposed to explain what he'd been ordered to do. He knew that he was at the top of Voldemort's list of suspects as a traitor, and it was one of many reasons he'd been charged with his current job.

"The Dark Lord is very keen to have you back within his grasp," Snape said, changing the conversational flow back to what he needed to tell her. "He believes that with you on his side, the tides will turn in his favour."

Buffy narrowed her eyes. She'd heard that theory before.

"He's really taking the prophecy seriously, isn't he?" Buffy mused.

Snape blinked in surprise. "You know about the prophecy?"

Buffy nodded absently. "I asked Dumbledore about it. Snake-boy mentioned it. I just don't think that Big V gets the whole 'thriving in the dark' part. I wasn't thriving. Ever. I mean, the whole thing is pretty cryptic, but correct me if I'm wrong, wouldn't I need to be there voluntarily for the war to turn in his favour?"

Snape was impressed. He wasn't often impressed, especially not by students, but this girl kept taking him by surprise. He couldn't help but silently thank the Powers That Be, that she was so incredibly different from her brother and her parents. She wasn't arrogant, or conceited. She was more mature than all the other Fifth Years put together, and she had a unique way of looking at things. And while he disliked that he probably had a Death-Eater to thank for Buffy's maturity, he definitely enjoyed her company far more than that of her brother.

"I don't believe the Dark Lord is too worried about having you there voluntarily anymore. He enjoyed it while it lasted," Snape said. "At this point, he just wants his victory over the Gryffindor line."

"Gotta love a guy that can hold a grudge like that," Buffy griped. She looked up at one of her mentors, noticing his unusual fidgeting. It wasn't all that noticeable, but she'd grown accustomed to his stillness. To see Snape's hands moving even slightly was as much a sign as Giles' nervous tick of rubbing his hand over his forehead when he was stressed.

It hit her with all the force of a stunning spell.

"He wants you to bring me back to him, doesn't he?" she asked quietly.

Snape stilled, looking at the young woman, his eyes showing the depth of his anguish. He didn't want to be in this position. Unfortunately, he was in a quandary.

"I've informed Professor Dumbledore of my assignment," Snape said. "At this point I'm tempted to reveal myself as a double agent, and ensure your safety."

Buffy snorted quietly, shaking her head. "If you don't do it, someone else will. A Slytherin kid. A Slytherin kid's parent at a Quidditch Match. Or in Hogsmeade. And if Lord Creepy really wants me, he'll find a way."

"That is what Professor Dumbledore believed," Snape said. "He is thinking of ways to keep you safe."

"Safe," Buffy repeated quietly. "That'd be a novel concept."

"Rather."

"And how long did he give you?" Buffy asked.

"A week," Snape replied.

Buffy nodded slowly, wondering how on earth she would get out of this. She'd known that Voldemort wouldn't let her get away with the betrayal. He took it rather personally that people didn't fall down and worship him blindly.

The problem was, if Snape didn't deliver on his promise to Voldemort, he would be revealed as a spy. And that wouldn't help their cause at all. Snape and Giles were the only two spies in Voldemort's ranks, and it worked in their favour to have them positioned within the Death-Eaters.

Buffy couldn't really kid herself, either. She knew that Snape and Giles were more valuable to the Order where they were, where as Buffy was now a hindrance rather than a help.

And that meant only one thing.

"I'm going to have to leave Hogwarts," Buffy said quietly.

Snape narrowed his eyes at the girl, not particularly liking where this was going.

"You can't."

"It's the only way. Voldemort's interested in revenge because I'm easy to get to," Buffy said. "But if I left, I can pretty much guarantee that he'll lose interest very quickly. If he thinks I've tucked tail and fled, he probably won't care."

Snape didn't necessarily agree with everything she'd said, however.

"He will still be interested," Snape said. "But you will have a fighting chance. He'll never come after you himself. And I'd lay down a few galleons on you to win a fight against most of the Death-Eaters."

Buffy grinned at the Professor, thankful for the support.

"Do you think it'd work?"

"I think it's the best chance you've got."

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On the other side of the world, atop the Cleveland hellmouth, the Slayer and Chosen One, India Cohen met her match. With a quick snap of her neck, India fell, dead before she'd even hit the ground.

~*~


	36. The Slayer

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX: THE SLAYER

As Buffy hurriedly threw her clothes, books and other knock-knacks into her trunk, she felt…something.

A weight. Her heart dropped into her stomach, her pulse began racing, and her knees buckled beneath her. She landed heavily, her hands stopping her rapid fall.

She knelt by her bed, breathing hard, trying to work out what on earth had just happened to her. Several minutes ticked by, and Buffy managed to regain control of her basic motor functions. She struggled to her feet, still a little shaky, but feeling stronger than she had before.

She breathed deeply and moved to the other side of the bed, accidentally bumping into her heavy trunk. But to Buffy's surprise, instead of giving herself an aching shin for her troubles, the trunk shifted along the floor with ease, scraping the wooden boards noisily.

Buffy blinked in surprise. The trunk was filled with just about everything she owned. She hadn't had a chance to put a feather-light charm on it yet. She shouldn't have been able to move it at all.

Buffy's heart sank. She sat on her bed, working through the past few minutes with a growing realisation in the pit of her stomach.

She held out her hand in front of her, clenching and unclenching her fingers into a fist, trying to feel the difference. Taking a deep breath, she moved over to the solid brick wall, and psyched herself up for what she was about to do. She quickly ensured her wand was nearby, because either way, she would need magic to fix whatever damage came out of this little test.

Rearing back, with the speed of a striking snake, Buffy threw a punch at the brick wall. But instead of absolutely shattering her delicate hand, the bricks chipped, dented and crumbled.

"Crap."

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Buffy took a deep breath and, without knocking, opened the door to the boys dormitories. Harry and Ron looked up, surprised to see Buffy and Hermione entering the room. Hermione muttered a locking spell on the door after ensuring that none of the other fifth year boys were in the room with them.

"Couldn't you knock?" Ron asked indignantly.

"Did we interrupt something?" Buffy asked, raising her eyebrows.

The tips of Ron's ears went a bright red, and his resounding "no!" was more than enough to lift Buffy's spirits a little.

"D'you boys have a minute?" Buffy asked.

Harry nodded and stood, quickly approaching his sister.

"What is it?"

Buffy sighed. She had a feeling that her twin brother was about to have a fit. He didn't like being out of the loop, and she had definitely kept him in the dark about one of the many reasons she'd been in America for so long.

"Harry, you remember that part of the prophecy…about a 'Chosen Shadow'?" Buffy began. At Harry's nod, she continued. "Did you ever wonder what it meant, by the word 'chosen'?"

Harry's eyebrows furrowed. He'd never really thought about it, if he was honest with himself. A lot of the prophecy had been a little cryptic, and he hadn't paid a lot of attention to some of the waffling language that had made up the dreaded prophecy.

"Not really," he admitted.

"Well…it does mean something," Buffy said.

"What's it mean then?" Harry asked curiously.

Buffy breathed in deeply, wondering how best to broach the subject.

Hermione and Ron were looking on with interest, neither of them saying anything. They knew that Harry and Buffy were willing to let them know a lot of what was happening, and for that they were both grateful. And being in the same room while all the arguments were happening usually just saved time.

They both knew that the twins had been worried about telling them about the prophecy in the first place, but Ron and Hermione had taken it in stride. They'd been supporting Harry for four and a bit years, they weren't about to stop now.

"Ever heard of a Chosen One?" Buffy asked.

Harry shook his head. Ron looked confused. Hermione looked terrified.

"What's it mean?"

"You don't mean…the Chosen One, as in the Vampire Slayer, do you?" Hermione asked. "The one girl in all the world, chosen to fight the forces of darkness?"

Buffy nodded. She wasn't surprised that Hermione had heard about Slayers.

"Vampire Slayer," Ron repeated. "I thought that was all a myth. Fred and George tried telling me about a Slayer once. Said she was stronger than ten men, and could probably take out You-Know-Who without breaking a sweat. Bit of wishful thinking, though, isn't it?"

"I don't know about wishful thinking," Hermione said. "I mean, maybe that bit about taking out You-Know-Who is a little optimistic, but the rest of it is true. Slayers are chosen in their teens. They're trained by specialists, and they're identified in their childhood by a birthmark on their left shoulders."

Harry froze.

He looked at Buffy with wide eyes, taking in what Hermione had just said.

He knew that Buffy had a birthmark on her left shoulder. He'd seen pictures of Buffy when she was just a toddler, and the birthmark was there for all to see. In fact, he had the same mark, but on the opposite shoulder.

And then there was the fact that Buffy had brought the topic up at all.

"You're a Slayer?" Harry asked, his voice barely audible.

Buffy nodded.

Harry's right eye twitched, a sure sign of anger.

"And you didn't see it fit to tell me this before now because of what reason?" he asked, his voice steady and deceptively calm.

"Because before today, I wasn't a Slayer. I knew that it was possible that I could be called, but to be honest, I'd pretty much forgotten," Buffy explained.

"Forgotten?" Ron repeated incredulously. "How could you forget something like that?"

"Well, you worry about Voldy-Muggle wanting to kill you for a while, and see what you forget," Buffy griped.

Hermione looked as though she was on the verge of tears. She hadn't known why Buffy had dragged her up to Harry and Ron's room, and she was starting to wish that the reason far less serious. Hearing that one of her best friend's had been called as a Slayer was not something that she wanted to hear.

"Your trainer…it was Rupert Giles, wasn't it?" Hermione asked. The pieces were starting to fall together. She'd thought it odd that Buffy would be taken away for so long, and knowing that Giles had been training Buffy in the Dark Arts, and in how to perform like a Death-Eater wouldn't have taken that long, in Hermione's opinion.

"Yes," Buffy admitted. "He works for the Watcher's Council. They're responsible for finding and training Slayers."

"Is that why Voldemort was so keen to have you 'swayed to darkness'?" Harry asked. "Because he knew you'd be a Slayer?"

Buffy shrugged, shaking her head. "I don't know. It was never mentioned. I doubt he knows to be honest. The prophecy was cryptic at best."

The foursome went quiet, each of them trying to work out what this now meant. How they felt about things. What it had changed. What it would continue to change.

Ron was the first to speak. "What happens now?"

Buffy glanced at her friends, and her brother sadly. "Now, I leave."

"LEAVE?!" Harry yelled. "YOU CAN'T LEAVE!"

"I can't stay here Harry. D'you know, that right now, Snape's been given the very fun assignment of dragging me, kicking and screaming back to Sir-Likes-To-Kill," Buffy said. "And being taken, especially now that I'm a Slayer, is not an option."

Harry glared mutinously at his sister. Except he couldn't think of a single, logical, reasonable argument that would convince Buffy to stay. He'd known, on some level, that Voldemort would never just leave Buffy be. He'd want revenge. Voldemort was proud, and he would never tolerate being betrayed and made a fool of, especially by the youngest of Godric Gryffindor's line.

"Where are you planning on going?" Ron asked, his voice cracking with emotion.

"It's probably better if you didn't know that," Buffy said sadly.

Hermione felt an errant tear break its bonds, and slide down her cheek.

"This isn't fair," Harry said quietly.

"This isn't goodbye Harry," Buffy assured him. "I'm not about to cut and run now. Not when I've finally found out that I've got an older brother to annoy. I'll find something to make myself useful, trust me."

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Professor Albus Dumbledore was once again completely flummoxed. While it was true that he had yet to come up with a brilliant plan to ensure Buffy's safety within Hogwarts, he hadn't anticipated the young woman's startling revelations. The first being that she'd been Called as the Slayer, and the second being that she was leaving as soon as she was able to.

Dumbledore had known that Buffy could be called at anytime. In fact, he had been waiting for it to happen. He knew that it wasn't coincidence that the Potter twins had both had their destinies written in the stars, and he knew that this burden was one that Buffy would be able to handle admirably.

The only question now, was whether or not he should give the young Slayer a task to complete. He knew that Buffy was keen on helping in any way she possibly could.

It helped immensely that Buffy had been preparing for three years to help bring Voldemort down, and Dumbledore knew that she would do everything in her considerable power to do what she could. Which made his decision much easier.

"Miss Summers…there is perhaps a task that I believe you would be well suited to," Dumbledore said, his fingers tented, his tone thoughtful. "You and your new guardian will perhaps make a terrific team in this…quest."

"Quest, sir?" Buffy repeated sceptically. "There's no holy grail involved is there?"

Xander had introduced Buffy to both the Indiana Jones series, and the Monty Python films, and Buffy knew well that quests tended to end badly.

"Well, it certainly isn't holy," Dumbledore replied, chuckling a little. "And while many would describe it as more of a cup than a grail, the sentiments seem to be the same."

Buffy paused, trying to work out what Dumbledore had just said.

"Sir?"

"A cup, Miss Summers. Belonging to one of the four founders of Hogwarts. Helga Hufflepuff's most prized possession, and the last remaining relic of the Hufflepuff House."

Buffy's eyebrows furrowed. "Not to be rude or anything, but…how does finding this cup help defeat Voldemort?"

Dumbledore smiled and leant forward in his seat.

"That, Miss Summers, is a story for another time. And until then, I'll leave you in the capable hands of your godfather."

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I had no idea where this fic was going to go…and then I figured, why not just bring book six forward, and bring back Remus Lupin. Always fun. Many thanks for your reviews!!


	37. The Cup

CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN: THE CUP

It had taken sixteen and a half days to travel from Hogwarts to the wooded forests of Albania. Remus Lupin and Buffy Summers had travelled as inconspicuously as possible. Dressed as muggles, catching muggle transport, and using different names everywhere they stayed, they managed to avoid being detected by Death-Eaters. And while it was a bit of a shock to the system to not use magic for everything, they were both managing to keep the magic to an absolute minimum, just to be safe. It wouldn't do to draw attention to themselves.

And in the meantime, Remus finally got to know his god-daughter, and Buffy was finding yet another father-figure worming their way into her heart.

With his guard down, Remus was funny, witting and charming, and Buffy found that his absolute aura of calm was a soothing balm to her wounded soul. Leaving behind Hogwarts and the only family she had left had been difficult. But she knew that leaving was the best option, and even if she didn't fully understand what this Hufflepuff 'mug-o'-doom' had to do with Voldemort, she was willing to come to the middle of nowhere to seek it out.

Remus was no better informed than Buffy, in that respect. He just knew that Dumbledore believed it to be important, and that the Headmaster of Hogwarts believed that Albania was the place where the cup had been hidden.

And if Dumbledore was guessing correctly, then they would have to survive a series of tasks to get to the cup, ones that could be very dangerous, and more than likely, very painful.

"Looks like we've only got a five kilometre hike tomorrow, and we'll be there," Remus said, consulting the map that Dumbledore had provided two and a half weeks earlier.

Buffy moved around the fire and sat beside her godfather, glancing down at the map to where Remus was pointing.

"Nice. Finally, a flat hike," Buffy said, grinning.

"That last mountain was a bit of a killer, wasn't it?" Remus replied.

"Well, at least we'll be in shape for the rest of the war after all this," Buffy quipped. "Possibly for the rest of our natural lives, as well."

Remus smiled fondly at the girl, enjoying her sarcastic wit.

"You'd best get some sleep, then," Remus suggested. "I have a feeling that tomorrow's going to be a lot harder than advertised."

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Remus settled his pack on the ground, as Buffy poked around the immediate area, looking for clues to as where Helga Hufflepuff's cup had been hidden. Dumbledore, while not very forthcoming about the significance of the cup, had suggested that it would be well-hidden, and hard to find with human eyes.

Which meant it was a good thing that neither Remus, nor Buffy, were particularly human.

As Remus began scenting out the area, a loud crash came from behind him, and he raced towards the massive hole that his god-daughter had just fallen through. It was at least ten feet deep, and wide enough to fit a beer-barrel down, if one was so inclined.

"Alright down there?" he asked.

"Peachy," Buffy replied. She carefully stood, taking stock of any aches and pains, but for the most part, she was unharmed. No doubt she'd have the mother of all bruises on her backside come morning, but for now, she was more than capable of plodding on.

She took out her wand, and whispered 'lumos' to guide her way in the dark hole. But from the looks of it, it was only a hole, and nothing more. She ran her hands across the dirt walls, dusting away roots and leaves, searching for some sort of knob that would open up an entrance.

"There's nothing down here," Buffy said. "Maybe this is a decoy."

"Or maybe you're looking with the wrong senses," Remus suggested.

Buffy paused for a moment, before nodding. She extinguished the light from her wand and closed her eyes, opening her senses as Giles had taught her to do so many years ago. But back then, Buffy hadn't had Slayer senses to deal with. She'd been somewhat gifted in picking up magical residue, even at thirteen, but now, a Slayer of fifteen years old, she was even better at it.

Her skin hummed with magic, and she could feel the wolf within Remus clambering to be let free once more. Except the wolf would be locked up for another ten days.

Closer than the wolf though, was a darker sense of magic. It came from all around her, specifically from four different places, which she knew to be north, south, east and west, surrounding her in the hole. She brought a hand up, touching the dirt, and it fairly vibrated beneath her touch. In fact, it felt distinctly similar to Remus' wolf, desperate to be free of its earthly barricade.

"There's something…"

"What do you sense?"

"Magic. Evil magic. And…well, it wants out whatever it is," Buffy said. "And I'm thinking that Dumbledore was either wrong about this cup of Hufflepuff's, or my thinking it's the mug-o'-doom wasn't far off."

Remus tried not to laugh, but whenever Buffy mentioned the mug-o'-doom, he couldn't help but be amused. Her sense of humour was very different to either James or Lily's, and he found it very refreshing.

"Any ideas on how to extract it?" Remus asked.

Buffy pause for a moment before pulling her wand back out. "One," she replied. She rested the tip of her wand on the wall of earth in front of her, where she got the strongest sense of magic from. She pushed the wooden tip into the dirt, wiggling her wand to push it further in.

"Here goes nothing," Buffy murmured. "_Reducto_."

And indeed, it was nothing. There was no reaction whatsoever, and Buffy felt slightly silly for having tried.

"Uh…little help here?" Buffy asked, looking up at her godfather.

"Try 'scindo sordesco'," Remus suggested.

Buffy shrugged and obediently repeated the spell. "_Scindo sordesco_."

The earth all around her began trembling, as though it was the beginnings of an earthquake. Buffy flung out her left hand, leaning against the wall, trying to maintain her balance. But instead of the wall holding her upright, the earth shifted completely, and she fell through the wall as it swallowed her whole.

"BUFFY!"

Remus couldn't believe his eyes. One moment, his god-daughter had been down the hole, and the next, she had disappeared. He lowered himself into the hole in the ground, and placed his wand against the wall. "Scindo Sordesco."

Nothing.

He tried again. And again. But the earth refused to move, and the two dozen other spells that Remus began rattling off had no effect either.

Wherever Buffy had been taken to, she was on her own.

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It was like being an ant in a colony, Buffy decided. There were hundreds of different paths that branched from the main walkway. It was pitch black, except for the tip of Buffy's wand, and once more, Buffy was thankful that she was a witch. The only problem was, Buffy couldn't get back out the way she had come in. And she had a bad feeling that Remus wasn't having any more luck in coming in, than she was in getting out.

Buffy leant down and picked up a short wooden root. She transfigured it into a sturdy piece of chalk and marked her place with a large, unmistakable 'x', and the number '1' next to it.

She cautiously move down the hall, marking her trail every few metres, with another 'x', and 2, 3, 4 etc down the corridor. It meant that if she managed to get lost, she'd be able to follow the numbers back to the original one. She had absolutely no desire to get stuck, or lost, or a combination of both.

Every few moments, Buffy would stop and try to sense what direction she needed to go in. The only problem was, there were several magical signatures down some of the paths. What they were, the Slayer had no idea, but the strongest sense of magic was coming from deep within the labyrinth.

She continued her trek, continuously stopping to mark her trail, and to ensure she was going in the right direction. She often ran into dead ends, but quickly managed to redirect herself onto the right track after a few moments.

After what felt like two or more hours, Buffy felt as though she'd finally found the last branch that she needed to come down. She breathed in deeply, and with her wand held high, a few defensive spells at the forefront of her mind, she entered the shadowy cavern, ready for anything.

Except for the sight in front of her.

On an alter-like table, in the very middle of the hollowed cave, sat four golden goblets, each of them completely identical. They were all the same in size, shape, colour, with exactly the same markings, gems and even scratches. They were arranged in a square with only two inches between them.

Buffy stepped forward, reaching out a hand to touch one. At the last moment, she pulled her hand back. She knew better than to touch something, especially seeing as Dumbledore was quite insistent on finding this cup. Whatever it was, it was powerful. And that was always dangerous.

Buffy leant closer, trying to find some sort of distinguishing feature on one of the cups. Each of the small golden cups had two handles, and a badger engraved within the gold. The insignia for the House of Hufflepuff. Helga Hufflepuff's cup.

And unless Buffy was mistaken, she knew that only one of these four was the true cup. She somehow couldn't see the Hogwarts Founder deciding to buy a set of them just for kicks.

Which meant that Buffy needed to work out which of them was the true cup of Hufflepuff.

Buffy sighed. She should have known that this wouldn't be easy.

She looked at the cups, and then glanced around the room, hoping for some kind of hint as to which of the cups it would be. She walked around the alter, but found nothing of significance at all. Sighing, she looked up at the roof and paused. Above her was a giant crest, exactly the same shape as the Hogwarts crest. Except instead of an 'H' in the centre, there was an upside-down 'V'.

Buffy walked back around the other side so that the 'V' was in the right direction. She then noticed that the crest was directly above the four cups.

She looked down at the cups, and realised that they represented the four quadrants of the crest. And if Buffy knew anything about Voldemort, it was that his heritage as Slytherin's heir was the most important thing to him. Which meant that he would have lined up the true cup to coincide with the Slytherin's place on the Hogwart's crest. Which meant that it would be in the upper right hand corner.

She reached out and went to touch it, when she felt her senses go haywire. She stopped herself barely a moment before her finger could graze the golden cup.

She glanced back up again and realised her mistake. The upper right hand corner of the crest on the ceiling coincided with the cup in the lower right hand corner of the table.

Buffy said a quick prayer to the Powers That Be before she reached forward and grabbed the cup.

She felt a tug behind her navel, and then the world began to spin.


	38. The Mug'O'Doom

CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT: THE MUG-O'-DOOM

Buffy was trying desperately not to panic. The problem was, she had portkeyed into the middle of a mass of pitch-black water, and trying to determine which way was up was proving to be impossible.

She kept a firm grip on the cup as she kicked and stroked her way, hopefully, towards the surface. Forcing herself not to swallow, and to try to calm down, she continued to swim, silently thanking the higher powers that she could finally see lighter water. She swam furiously, her lungs burning, desperate for air. As she neared the surface, she hastened her speed, unwilling to give in and drown when she was nearly there.

She broke the surface of the water, gasping a lungful of air. It took her a moment to realise that she was inhaling smoke, and her eyes watered as well. She coughed painfully, wondering how on earth she could possibly have this much bad karma. She put out the hand with the cup, trying to remain buoyant as she continued to tread water. With her spare hand she pulled up her saturated shirt and covered her nose and mouth, breathing through the wet material. It filtered a lot of the smoke out, but it was hard to keep up the position while still in the water.

Squinting through the smoke, Buffy looked around frantically, searching for land, or just something she could use to remain afloat. The smoke was too thick to see through, though, and Buffy resorted to ducking beneath the water and looking around for something below the surface.

She spotted what looked like a wall, and she began swimming towards it, trying to keep her grip on the cup as well as remain above the water, with her shirt covering her mouth.

She grabbed hold of the wall and swam along the length of it until she found a spot to pull herself up and out of the water.

She wiped water from her eyes, but found they still stung from the smoke. Annoyed with her heavy clothes, she pulled out her wand and quickly cast another spell. "Ademptio madesco." Her clothes, hair and skin dried, and Buffy found it easier to move. She shrugged out of her jacket, pulled off her jumper, and stripped off her t-shirt. She quickly ripped a large strip away from her shirt and tied it over her mouth and around the back of her head, robbery-style. It meant she could breathe without having to hold the material to her mouth. She replaced the jumper and the coat and moved through the smoke carefully, trying to work out where she was, and how on earth she'd got there.

She looked at the cup in her hands. A portkey. She stopped and put the cup on the ground, stepping away from it. She waited several moments, knowing that portkeys were often programmed to return to their original point of departure. After nearly half a minute, Buffy picked it up again.

Nothing.

She tried three more times, waiting longer at each attempt before giving up. Obviously someone wanted this to be a one-way trip.

She continued on, knowing there was no point in delaying the inevitable. She moved forward, but found no trace of where the smoke was coming from. And she couldn't get rid of the smoke without getting rid of the fire.

"Note to self: learn to apparate," she muttered.

The more she walked, the hotter it became. She took off her coat and carried it at her side. She rolled up the sleeves of her sweater and rolled the cuffs of her jeans as well.

Sweat trickled annoyingly down her face, in the small of her back, and other uncomfortable places as well.

She followed the wall, walking carefully, tripping over loose stones that she couldn't see. And even though the temperature continued to soar, Buffy found herself no closer to the fire than when she'd begun.

Ten minutes later, nothing.

Twenty minutes later, nothing.

Buffy couldn't take much more of this. She fell to her knees, coughing violently. She flattened herself to the ground, desperately hoping that there would be a small gap between the ground and the smoke. She breathed in semi-clean air and tried to concentrate.

She was losing sight of why she was even here. Panicking wasn't helping her. She needed to focus.

She placed the cup in front of her face, keeping one hand on it, frightened it would vanish at any moment. She stared at it, hoping for some kind of sign of what she should do. Giving up was out of the question. Moving forward seemed fruitless, and moving backwards was impossible. The portkey seemed to only work one way, and returning to the chamber with the cups wasn't a possibility.

Buffy tried to work out what it was that Voldemort wanted with a cup. And while it may have held a pretty good monetary value, Buffy was fairly certain that the Dark Lord was above greed for money. Power, though…that was an entirely different barrel of fish.

So why had Voldemort gone out of his way to hide the cup of Hufflepuff? Why bother hiding it in a forest in Albania, hidden after a labyrinth, and camouflaged with three identical but fake cups?

Dumbledore had known that they would need to go to a fair amount of trouble to get at it, which was definitely true. So, Voldemort didn't want someone to find it. But, he needed to be able to get to it himself. Which meant that there must have been a way out of the cave.

Voldemort, being arrogant on the issue of power, would have chosen a way out that only he could activate. And the one thing that Voldemort, and the rest of Salazar Slytherins line had been proud of, was the ability to speak to snakes. Lying on the ground, with barely an inch of air, it was almost painfully obvious. Her spells hadn't worked because she was saying them in the wrong language.

"Bastard," Buffy muttered.

She'd never spoken Parseltongue. She'd never found a snake to try it on, nor had she been all that tempted to try. She'd heard about the hell that Harry had gone through in his second year when the wizarding world had discovered his unusual ability.

As his twin, and sharing an unusual connection with the Boy-Who-Live, Buffy could only hope that she'd picked up the strange talent of Parseltongue that Voldemort had so greatly valued.

What she needed was a snake. That was the easy part. She aimed her wand at the ground in front of her.

"_Serpensortia_!"

A small green snake shot out of the end of her wand and hit the ground. It looked around and flickered its tongue, tasting the air. Buffy assumed that he didn't like it any more than she did.

She coughed and held her faux-bandana over her mouth. She looked at the small snake, concentrating on the serpent as it slithered towards her.

"Stay," she whispered.

And to her absolute shock, it paused and sat still. She tilted her head, trying to get a better look at it. And while she was looking at the snake, every word she said was coming out in Parseltongue.

"_Abscido tabesco_."

The spell was simple spell, but said in Parseltongue, and the smoke cleared instantly. Where it had gone, and how oxygen was replaced in the cavern, Buffy couldn't have explained, but she didn't need to know the whys and wherefores.

She struggled to her knees, coughing up the leftover smoke. She had a feeling that she was going to have a smoker's cough for the next week or so, but that was a problem for later. Right now, she needed a way out.

She glanced down at the snake.

"You don't know where the exit is, do you?" she asked it.

The snake seemed to pause, as though to take stock of its whereabouts. It lifted its head, nodded and began slithering away. Buffy figured that there was really no harm in following it as her other options were fairly limited.

She followed the snake through a cavern, and eventually found something very familiar. 'X48'.

She was back to the labyrinth that she'd come down earlier. She continued following the snake, checking every now and then the marks on the walls, watching the numbers get smaller and smaller until she came to where she'd first arrived.

She looked down at the snake. "You're pretty damn cool for a conjured snake," she mused.

The snake looked up at her and flickered its tongue out. She reached down, putting her arm in front of it. "No biting," she ordered.

The snake nodded and curled itself around her arm. It nestled its head against the crook of her elbow and curled the very end of its tail around her pinkie finger.

"Alright…pray this works Sly," she whispered to the snake.

She pulled her wand out and jammed it into the earthen wall, hoping like hell that the words that had got her into this mess would get her out.

"_Scindo sordesco_."

The wall pulled her in and, to her great relief, spat her out back in the hole she'd begun in.

She looked up, and Remus's head looked over the edge of the hole.

"Are you alright?" he asked frantically. "It's been hours, you have no idea how worried I've been."

Buffy grinned and held up Hufflepuff's cup. "One mug-o'-doom, as ordered. Don't touch it though, it may still be a portkey."

"Still?" Remus repeated.

Buffy nodded. "It's a long story. We'll save it for the trip back home. Now get me outta this hole!"

Remus grinned and reached down, pulling Buffy up and out of the hole. He jumped back when he finally noticed the snake coiled around Buffy's arm.

"What's that?"

"A snake," Buffy replied dryly.

Remus glared at her, and wondered just where she'd picked up such dry snarkiness. It reminded him of Severus Snape, and Remus knew that Sirius wouldn't be impressed if he ever heard the girl imitate the Potions Professor.

"Yes, but why is it on your arm?" Remus clarified.

"Sly? He's a friend," Buffy replied. She looked down at the snake, who almost seemed to smile at her. "Aren'tcha Sly?"

The snake hissed and Remus's eyes widened. "You can understand him?"

"Well, Harry learned to share, apparently."

Remus could only answer that with one word. "Oh."

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PS: every time I upload, my whole chappie is immediately put into italics. Is this a normal thing, or am I just special? Is there a way to stop it from doing that?

Many thanks for all your reviews!!


	39. The Horcrux

CHAPTER THIRTY-NINE: THE HORCRUX

"So, what happens when we get back to Hogwarts?" Buffy asked curiously.

Remus looked across at his god-daughter, who he knew was somewhat anxious to be back with her friends, and her family, despite outwards appearances. Buffy could play her emotions close to her chest when she wanted to, but when it came to her feelings for her friends, all you needed to do was look at her eyes. It was all there, for the world to see.

"Well, Dumbledore has had nearly a month to come up with a plan to keep you safe. Perhaps he'll have something else for us to find," Remus said.

Buffy snickered softly. "I swear, if he asks us to look for a knife and fork, I'm going to kick him, Headmaster or not."

Remus couldn't help but laugh. He was looking forward to the explanation that Dumbledore had promised them. He only hoped that the trouble they'd gone to would be worth whatever the Cup was hiding.

"But we'll be staying at Hogwarts for a few days, right? Tomorrow's the full moon," she reminded him.

"I know," he assured her. "We're lucky that it's falling on a weekend. I believe that he may even arrange for your friends to remain hidden within the castle with you. You can't be seen by anyone except those that you truly trust."

Buffy nodded. She didn't really care, as long as she got to see Harry, Blaise, Hermione, Ron and possibly Professor Snape. Of course, putting Snape and Harry in the same room was asking for disaster, so perhaps those two would visit separately.

Remus looked out the window, the landmarks as they got closer to Hogwarts becoming more and more recognisable. One more hour, and they would both be back at the castle.

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One hour, two secret passageways, and a spiralling staircase later, Buffy and Remus were safely ensconced in Albus Dumbledore's office, gratefully sitting down after a long trek through a winding corridor to get into the school unseen by any students or teachers.

Dumbledore regarded the duo, waiting patiently for Remus to unwrap the cup from the jumper that he'd hidden it within. Moments later, Remus handed the cup to Dumbledore who took it, holding it gently, as though he expected it to explode at any moment.

"Did you have any troubles getting it out?" Dumbledore asked. "Were there any traps set?"

Buffy shrugged. "Earth, water, fire, air. The basics."

Dumbledore looked to Remus, hoping for more of an explanation.

"There was a labyrinth, buried beneath the co-ordinates that you gave to us. Unfortunately, it allowed only one of us into the caverns," Remus said. "Buffy went in. Apparently there were four cups to choose from, and a crest above the cups. The cup corresponded with Slytherins position on the Hogwarts crest."

"Except that mug-o'-doom you're holding there was actually a one-time portkey. I ended up twenty feet under water in the middle of a lake or something. And when I got to the surface, there was just smoke everywhere. Took me a while, but we worked it out. We managed to get back out, and then we came home," Buffy said.

"We?" Dumbledore asked. "I thought you said that you were alone there."

Buffy grinned and pulled up the sleeve of her cloak, allowing Dumbledore to see her new friend, still curled around her wrist.

"Meet Sly. He was a great help down there," Buffy explained. "I just don't really have the heart to un-conjure him."

Dumbledore smiled serenely, and looked to Remus, who could only shrug at his god-daughter's behaviour.

"So…do we get to find out why you sent us after Voldemoron's unholy grail?" Buffy asked.

"In a moment," Dumbledore replied. "I'd rather only explain this once, and as I have a feeling that your brother would be a little…upset if I explained this to you, and not to him, he should be arriving any moment now."

Almost on cue, there was a tentative knock at the door. Dumbledore called out for Harry to enter, and Harry walked in, his eyes lighting up as he saw his sister, and the twins met halfway across the room, hugging fiercely.

Harry pulled away and took a moment to give his sister a long look, ensuring that she wasn't injured. He noticed her serpent friend immediately and raised an eyebrow.

"Fashion statement?" he dead-panned.

"It's all the rage in Albania, didn't you know?" she replied.

Harry grinned widely and bent closer to take a look at the snake. He greeted it in Parseltongue, and the snake spoke back, introducing himself.

Harry and Buffy made their way back to Remus and Dumbledore. Harry shook the ex-Professor's hand before sitting beside his sister. He looked up at Dumbledore inquisitively. He hadn't been told anything about why his presence had been requested, but he knew that he hadn't just been summoned because of his sister's return. If that had been the case, Ron, Hermione and Blaise would have been included in the meeting.

"Harry, your sister and Remus have been on something of a quest for the last month," Dumbledore said. "It was a task for the Order, and one that very few people could have carried out. Buffy, if you'll give him the details later on this evening, I would appreciate it."

Buffy nodded and Harry, though curious, wasn't about to push for details of his sister's whereabouts just yet. Knowing she was safe was enough for now.

"What you were looking for, Miss Summers, Remus, was no ordinary cup," Dumbledore said. He took hold of Hufflepuff's cup and examined it carefully. "This is a Horcrux."

Remus paled slightly, but Harry and Buffy just exchanged confused glances.

"What's a Horcrux?" Harry asked.

"Sounds dirty," Buffy commented.

"An ordinary object that houses a portion of someone's soul," Dumbledore summarised.

Buffy's eyes widened. That explained a lot. The feeling of evil, not to mention the trouble that Voldemort had gone to in order to hide the cup.

"That cup has part of Voldemort's soul in it?" Buffy asked.

Dumbledore just nodded.

Buffy whistled quietly. "Mug-o'-doom indeed," she mused.

"Professor…how is it that you know this?" Remus asked curiously.

"Excellent question, Remus, excellent question," Dumbledore began. "You see, I have spent many years now doing everything I could to piece together the missing years of Voldemort's life. What he was up to after he left Hogwarts, and what he was willing to do to truly become immortal."

"Immortal?" Harry repeated. "You mean…Voldemort can't die?"

"That is the goal that Voldemort was ultimately aiming for," Dumbledore replied. "However, there is a way for him to be defeated. Destroy every portion of his soul and then defeat the body he resides in."

Buffy sighed. She'd been waiting for more bad news, and Dumbledore definitely wasn't one to disappoint.

"How many portions are there?" she asked.

Harry's eyes went wide. He hadn't thought about that.

"This is purely speculation, Miss Summers," Dumbledore warned, "but I believe there were six, nearly seven, but for a rather unforseen consequence of a backfired spell fourteen years ago."

Harry felt a little light-headed. Six portions of Voldemort's soul in existence. No wonder no one had been able to truly kill the evil wizard.

"The good news, however, is that Harry himself already destroyed two," Dumbledore said.

Harry snapped to attention, his eyes going wide. He hadn't destroyed two pieces of Voldemort's soul! Surely he would have remembered that.

"Sir?"

Dumbledore chuckled slightly at the flummoxed expression on Harry's face.

"Voldemort did more than try to kill you when you were a baby, Harry," Dumbledore said. "To create a Horcrux, and to split your soul, you have to perform the ultimate act of evil. You must take the life of a human being. I believe that Voldemort was attempting to create his seventh Horcrux when he tried to kill you. He'd readied himself to split his soul when he took aim and said the killing curse. When the spell turned on him, it was his own soul, the seventh portion, which was destroyed. But there were six other portions carefully hidden throughout the world that enabled him to remain…alive, for lack of a better word."

Harry was numb. He wasn't sure how much more information he could take being thrown at him like this. Voldemort was practically immortal. And there were six other pieces of Voldemort's soul somewhere out there. Wait…Dumbledore had said something about two pieces being destroyed by Harry.

"What was the second?" Harry asked.

Dumbledore smiled and tented his fingers in front of him. "The diary, Harry. Voldemort's first murder. Myrtle Millicent Mitchenson. Better known as Moaning Myrtle. He created his first Horcrux when he was a student at Hogwarts. He preserved a portion of his soul in his diary. And I dare say, had Lucius Malfoy known what he held in his hands, he'd not have thrown it away so cavalierly."

Harry swallowed hard. It sort of made sense if he thought about it. He'd wondered how a diary had had the power to bring Voldemort back to power as his sixteen-year-old self. But if the diary had been partially Voldemort's soul, it would explain quite a lot.

"So…so if Voldemort's back, does that mean that there are only five horcruxes – horcrix? – left?" Buffy asked curiously.

"Four, actually," Dumbledore replied. "The remaining portion of Voldemort's soul that resided in his body was destroyed the night he tried to kill Harry. The seventh piece if you will. When he performed the spell the seventh portion was destroyed, leaving the six Horcruxes hidden in obscure places. Therefore, the last Horcrux he'd created would release the soul within to enable Voldemort a new chance of life. The object that it was housed in is now of no greater use than this ring."

Dumbledore had pulled open a draw of his desk and pulled out an ornate ring with a black stone, engraved with a coat of arms, in its centre.

Buffy and Harry exchanged a look before leaning forward to get a closer look at the ring.

"Was that-"

"A Horcrux? Yes," Dumbledore replied. "The ring was passed down through a very old wizarding line, the Guants. Merope Guant, Tom Riddle's mother, stole the ring from her father and ran away with a muggle, Tom Riddle Senior. The ring turned up again some twenty years ago, and Voldemort was able to get his hands on it."

"But how do you destroy a Horcrux?" Buffy asked curiously. "Voldemort doesn't seem the type to just leave this type of thing to chance. He wouldn't have split them up unless he was pretty confident that they wouldn't be found, and couldn't be destroyed."

Dumbledore nodded his head, pride shining in his eyes. He'd always known that the Potter Twins would be astute, and hearing the logical rationalisation from Buffy was comforting. The wizarding world had put their trust into two saviours, though they hadn't yet realised the part that Buffy 'Summers' Potter would play.

"Harry was the first to discover the means of destroying a fully-formed Horcrux, though I believe it was purely chance. Basilisk venom will kill anything it touches. The only known cure for the venom of a basilisk is phoenix tears, and if the antidote isn't given within moments of the poison seeping through, then a soul will die," Dumbledore replied.

Remus, who hadn't said much of anything since Harry had entered the room, finally spoke up.

"There are now four Horcruxes, as well as Voldemort's current incarnation to be dealt with," Remus summarised. "That seems doable."

"There are three more horcruxes that we must find," Dumbledore corrected the werewolf. He leant forward and took hold of the Hufflepuff Cup. "As soon as we destroy this cup, using the Sword of Gryffindor, which still has Basilisk venom on the blade, there will only be three remaining. And then we shall have a much better chance in finally defeating Voldemort."

"The other three…they must be pretty significant to him," Harry observed quietly. "If Voldemort chose something of Helga Hufflepuff's, it would make sense that he'd have chosen things from the three other founders as well."

"Very astute," Dumbledore praised the young man. "As far as I've been able to find, there are three items that Voldemort would have been interested in getting his hands on in order to place a portion of his soul inside them. Hufflepuff's cup, a locket of Slytherin's, the shield of Gryffindor, and Rowena Ravenclaw's dagger."

There was silence in the room as Harry, Buffy and Remus took a moment to fully appreciate what Dumbledore was telling them. This was the break they'd been looking for. This was what they'd needed to know in order to defeat Voldemort.

In some ways it almost seemed too easy. Find three old relics, destroy them, and then kill Voldemort. Of course, the last part of the plan may well have been a little more difficult than all that.

"How do you know all this?" Harry asked curiously.

Dumbledore sat forward thoughtfully. "I have spent a great many years pouring over many memories - mine, and others – trying to glean what little I could about Voldemort, both when he was younger, and in the space between his graduation from Hogwarts, and his reign of terror on the wizarding world."

"You knew he'd come back," Remus murmured.

"I had hoped that I was merely paranoid," Dumbledore replied. "I would quite happily have been proven wrong, as well."

"So now what?" Buffy asked.

"Now, Miss Summers, we find the final three…Horcrix, I believe you called them," Dumbledore said lightly. "And when they have been destroyed…well, then it is anyone's guess."

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PS. I'm seriously cheating by ignoring a stack of story line. In this world, Book Six isn't going to happen. I'd rather not deal with all the Horcruxes, so conveniently destroying both the seventh Horcrux, which we believe to be Nagini, and the Ring as well, it makes my life a helluva lot easier.

Many thanks for all your reviews!!


	40. The Shield

CHAPTER FORTY: THE SHIELD

"As a young man, Tom Riddle found a job working for Borgin and Brke's on Knockturn Alley. He worked as a collector, finding items of great value from magical families. He was...suave, charismatic. He could charm a galleon in exchange for a knut, and have them smile at the end of it. Riddle was particularly interested in items that had belonged to the Four Founders of Hogwarts. He visited many families in an effort to persuade them to sell their artefacts, but the owner of the Shield refused to sell."

"I'd have thought he wouldn't be much interested in something of Gryffindor's," Harry commented.

Dumbledore shook his head. "No, Harry, it has only been in the last two decades that the rivalry between the houses has been so intense. Fifty years ago, the houses were competitive, but not hateful to one another. Riddle had a great respect for this school, and for the men and women who founded it. This was the first, and I believe, only place that Riddle ever called home. Having a link to each of the Founders, transferring a piece of himself into these trophies, was a way to perpetuate that idea of home."

"Who had the Shield?" Buffy asked curiously.

"Your Grandparents. Voldemort and his followers attacked the Potter Manor, killed both Harrison and Gretyl Potter, and took the Shield of Gryffindor from its place of honour above the mantle. James was barely eighteen when they died."

Harry sat back in his seat, stunned at the revelation that Voldmeort had not only killed his parents, but his grandparents as well. He wondered why it had never occurred to him to ask what had happened to his fathers family.

"Where do you think Voldemort hid it?" Harry asked.

"Just as he hid the Hufflepuff Cup in a place that was significant to him, and the Ring also, I believe that he has taken it upon himself to hide the object in a place that he valued. I believe that one of the remaining Horcruxes is hidden here, in Hogwarts."

"D'you mean he created another Horcrux when he was still at school?" Buffy asked.

Dumbeldore shook his head. "Believe it or not, Tom Riddle returned to Hogwarts, about ten years after he'd graduated, and requested that he be allowed to take up a teaching position."

Buffy and Harry stared at the Headmaster incredulously.

"He wanted to be a Professor?" Harry asked.

"Of what?!" Buffy cried.

"Defence Against the Dark Arts," Dumbledore replied. "At that stage of his life, he'd begun gathering followers, who had named themselves the Death Eaters. I believe that he had split his soul at least twice, possibly thrice already. From the look of him, losing pieces of his soul was waring on him, as though he'd become too thin, though I don't mean physically. I turned him down for the position, though I believe wholeheartedly that he left two things at Hogwarts that day. The first being a Horcrux and the second being a curse on the Defence Against the Dark Arts position, that still exists to this day."

Buffy still couldn't fathom the Dark Lord as a Professor. She giggled at the image of the black robed snake-like man scribing words on a blackboard, with a student's prank note taped to his back that read 'kick me'.

Harry glanced at his snickering twin, who just shook her head in amusement. Harry shrugged, wondering just what was going on in the girls head.

"Where do you think he'd have hidden it? Hogwarts is huge, he could've put it anywhere," Harry pointed out.

"Not just anywhere," Remus said thoughtfully. "Somewhere that he believed no one else could enter. Somewhere that he thought was truly a secret."

Harry's eyes lit up. "The Chamber of Secrets?"

Dumbledore nodded. "Where only an Heir of Slytherin could enter, and where he discovered the Basilisk that he used to kill the first of many. Somewhere in that Chamber resides a portion of Voldemort's soul. And it will be up to the four of us to find it."

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Standing around the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets, Buffy, Remus and Dumbledore watched as Harry focused on the small engraving of a snake, and hissed softly. They watched in silence as the vestibule of sinks gave way to an open pipe, slanting down like a giant ramp, leading into the dark and deep well. From Buffy's arm, Sly the snake flickered his tongue out, glancing curiously at the hole that had opened.

"Now what?" Buffy asked her brother.

"We jump," Harry replied.

"What, there couldn't stairs?" she snarked.

The twins jumped simultaneously as the pipe turned immediately into a set of stairs.

"How'd you do that?" Harry asked in dismay. It would have been considerably easier to have come back up the last time had their been stairs, rather than relying on Fawkes to carry the entourage that Harry had ended up with the last time.

"Could you two kindly start speaking in English?" Remus asked. "The hissing is a little strange."

Buffy and Harry glanced up at the former Professor. "We were speaking Parseltonuge?" Harry asked. His eyes lit up and he looked to his twin. "That's why the stairs appeared. You asked for them in Parseltongue."

"Heh. Go me!"

Harry laughed before glancing at the staircase that would lead them to the Chamber. "Well...shall we?"

The quartet began the steep descent down the stairs, Dumbledore in the lead, followed by Harry, Buffy and then Remus bringing up the rear. Each of the four held their wands aloft and lit with a 'lumos' spell.

They reached the second door, and Harry gestured for Buffy to step ahead.

"_Open_," she whispered, though she noticed the hissing coming from her mouth, now that she was concentrating on hearing the Parselmouth language.

The door opened, and they continued into the massive Chamber. In the centre, lying dead and massive, was a surprisingly well preserved Basilisk.

"When you said it was sixty feet long, I kinda thought you were exaggerating," Buffy whispered, swallowing nervously.

"Alright...Lupin, you and Miss Summers, head left, Harry and I will head right. Remember, we're dealing with a portion of Voldemort's soul here, it's bound to be heavily guarded. Be wary, be watchful, and whatever you do, don't try and touch the Shield. It may be a portkey, as Miss Summers discovered with Hufflepuff's Cup," Dumbledore warned.

Buffy and Harry nodded, and Remus and the Slayer began walking to the left side of the Chamber. Harry and Dumbledore began searching the right.

The floor was slippery, and in the silence of the cavern, Buffy could hear the 'clink' of water drops slowly falling from the ceiling. She wondered just how far down they had come, and where they were in relation to the lake.

"So, do you find it somewhat ironic that we have to destroy Gryffindor's Shield with Gryffindor's Sword, or is that just me?" Buffy asked.

Remus smiled and helped Buffy up a particularly wet patch of concrete.

"I find it sad, more than anything. These relics should have been handed down father to son, mother to daughter, and instead, they've been used to help pervert the course of history. Voldemort should rightfully be dead."

"Well, three down, three to go, right?" Buffy reminded him, optimism shining through her voice. "The Ring, the Cup and the Diary are destroyed. Theoretically, the Shield will be gone tonight. All we'll have to do then is find Ravenclaw's dagger and Slytherin's locket, and we'll be on the home stretch."

"Killing Voldemort," Remus said sombrely. "Not an easy task, no matter how much help destroying the Horcruxes will do."

"Harry can do this, Remus," Buffy said. "He's the Chosen One and all that. I mean, not '_Chosen_' Chosen, but still...Chosen."

Remus laughed and led them down a side tunnel, their wands out and senses attuned to their surroundings.

"The Power the Dark Lord knows not," Remus mused. "I wonder what that means."

"Well, if the Dork Lord doesn't know it, how the heck are we meant to?" Buffy jibed. "Harry told me that Dumbledore thinks that it's Harry's love. His humanity. The loyalty that his friends show him. The Snake Master wouldn't know anything about that if it bit him on the butt."

"No, I doubt he would understand love," Remus said.

Buffy suddenly went very still, her senses tingling as she felt a very familiar presence.

"I can feel it," she whispered.

Remus stood silently, opening himself to the magic around them. He let his senses trail past the Slayer, whom he'd become very used to over the course of the month they'd travelled together. Beyond the wall to their left, he could feel the pull of dark magic.

"We'll head back to the main chamber and get the others," he suggested. "Next go round, we'll take the tunnel to the left."

Buffy nodded, and they backtracked their steps. Buffy yelled loudly for her brother, who came back quickly, Dumbledore following after him.

"Down this way," Buffy said, indicating the cave that Remus was standing in front of.

Dumbledore went in first, wand ready, the Sword of Gryffindor at his side.

The tunnel wound further down, until they finally reached a cave within the tunnel. The four wands lit the small area, and Remus noticed unlit torches bracketed on the walls. He shot a fire spell at the four torches, and the room was suddenly lit with flames. In the centre of the room was the Shield of Gryffindor resting on a dais.

"What's the catch?" Buffy asked.

The four carefully scouted the room, trying to discover what magical traps Voldemort had set up to ensure the safety of the item.

"It's not a Portkey," Dumbledore discovered. "As far as I can see, there seems to be nothing guarding it, besides its location within the Chamber that hadn't been located for nearly a thousand years."

"Maybe he was just being arrogant," Buffy suggested.

"Perhaps," Dumbledore conceded.

Harry walked to the dais, and bent to take a closer look at what the Shield was resting on. The dais had a groove dug out of it that held the Shield upright.

"Maybe there's no trap until you lift the Shield out," Harry suggested.

"Do we need to lift it out?" Remus asked.

Dumbledore stroked his beard thoughtfully, considering both the Shield and the Sword he held at his side. Hufflepuff's cup had been ruined, destroyed beyond use after being hit with the Sword. Dumbledore had no doubt that the same would happen to the Shield. It was a sad loss for the Wizarding World to have so much of its history lost to the evil of Voldemort.

Dumbledore unsheathed the Sword from his side and handed it to Harry.

"I believe it only fitting for you to do the honours, Harry," the Headmaster said.

Harry took the sword, his hand gripping it with familiarity. It was lighter than he remembered, or else he was stronger than he'd been three years ago.

The Boy-Who-Lived shared a glance with his twin, who nodded encouragingly at him. He breathed in deeply and lifted the sword above his head before plunging the blade into the centre of the Shield.

For a moment, absolute silence reigned.

And then all hell broke loose.

The Shield managed to glow with a black light before bursting into thousands of tiny pieces. The dais it had been resting on was smashed to pieces, and only the quick spellwork of a shield from Dumbledore had stopped them from being blown up with the giant stone.

The ground beneath their feet trembled and the quartet spared no time hesitating about their decision. Buffy grabbed Harry's wrist and yanked him behind her, pulling him back into the tunnel as both Lupin and Dumbledore followed quickly behind them.

Above them, rocks began falling, boulders the size of cars dropping heavily and blocking their path. Buffy navigated around the sudden obstacles, pulling Harry through the door that she'd opened before and towards the staircase as the Headmaster and werewolf manoeuvred behind them.

Buffy shoved Harry up before her, and she watched her brother disappear upwards. Dumbledore was next, surprisingly spry for a man of his age. Lupin dove to the side as another boulder fell from the ceiling, cutting off his path. He twisted and Buffy ran back to him, leaping on top of the newly fallen rock, hauling him up onto it, and then leaping for the stairs.

Lupin fell heavily against her before another rock smashed the bottom of the staircase, and sealed the staircase in complete darkness.

"Sweet Merlin," Lupin breathed softly.

Buffy grabbed Lupin's hand and began pulling him up the stairs. The stillness seemed quite strange after having run through the trembling Chamber.

"D'you think Hogwarts is alright?" Buffy asked.

Lupin was silent, though hopeful about what they would find at the top of the stairs. After several flights upwards, they finally reached the bathroom where Harry was sitting on the floor, massaging his aching legs. Lupin wanted to do the same to his own tired limbs, but refrained. Buffy, however, had been trained otherwise, and walked slowly in circles until her legs ceased their terrible cramping.

"Well...four down, two to go," Buffy said.

"Not bad for a day's work," Harry commented, allowing his twin to pull him upright. He winced at the soreness of his calves, looking forward to a long and hot bath.

"It's too bad the basilisk got buried," Lupin said. "Sirius is going to be incredibly jealous that he didn't get to see it."

"Professor Snape as well," Dumbledore added. "Though I feel somewhat grateful that the Chamber seems to have sealed itself quite adequately. Perhaps this will keep others from ever trying to hide dangerous items so thoroughly."

"That, and no one else will have to look at that hideous Basilisk ever again," Harry said.

"I wonder if Slytherin ever named it," Buffy mused.

Harry began laughing as a thought occurred to him.

"What?"

"Just trying to imagine what Hagrid would name it. A giant dog named Fluffy, a dragon named Norbert, and a Basilisk named..."

"Slinky," Buffy said. "I'm naming it Slinky."

Remus and Dumbledore glanced at one another, and the Headmaster's eyes twinkled brightly. 'Ah, youth.'

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Thanks for reviewing!! Two chappies today, cos I'm feeling generous.


	41. The Cave

CHAPTER FORTY-ONE: THE CAVE

There was no doubt in anyone's mind that they were closer to finally defeating Voldemort than they had ever been. There were two more items that needed to be found and destroyed before the final battle against Voldemort, and Albus Dumbledore believed that the best and safest way to assure their victory was to strike hard and fast.

To that end, Albus Dumbledore had assembled eight of his most trusted colleagues. The group was then split in half, and each of them given the potential location and description of a Horcrux.

Of those eight, only four were aware of the true value of the items being sought. Remus and Buffy knew what they were truly after, and their partners Nymphadora Tonks and Alastor Moody trusted Dumbledore enough to know it was important without knowing the details.

Sirius Black and Kingsley Shacklebolt, the leaders of the second team, were also informed of what they were after, and why it was so important. Their partners, Hestia Jones and Loren Fortescue (the grandson of the famed Florean) were left in the dark, but knew that it was a matter of life and death.

Trust was a fragile thing, and Dumbledore was being as cautious as possible under the circumstances.

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After a week spent at Hogwarts, Buffy and Remus were given the task of finding the locket of Slytherin, which Dumbledore believed to have been hidden in a cave where a young Tom Riddle had terrorised two muggle whom he lived with in an orphanage. Dumbledore believed that the cave was the first place that Tom had been able to consciously use his magic to hurt and frighten muggles, and it was the beginnings of his desire for power over those who he viewed as unworthy.

Buffy, Remus, Tonks and Moody were given the directions and the description of what the locket was supposed to look like.

The save was inaccessible from any road, and it had been necessary to 'borrow' a muggle boat to get to the cliff face where the entrance to the cave sat. After a short climb, the four colleagues carefully entered the cave, wands out and ready for anything.

Remus was the first to sense the dark magic that surrounded a wall towards the back of the cave.

"Back here...there doesn't seem to be any sort of entrance," Remus said.

"Try that 'scindo sordesco' spell," Buffy suggested.

Remus did as the Slayer bade, but with no luck.

"Parseltongue?" Remus asked.

Buffy shrugged and gave it a try, hissing out '_open_', but to no avail.

"Well, at least he's predictable in not being predictable," Buffy said.

Tonks moved forward, but the ground beneath her feet was slippery, and the Metamorphmagus was less then graceful at the best of times. Tonks caught herself on the while, hissing as she sliced her palm on a sharp piece of rock. To the surprise of the group, the wall began moving.

Moody spat at the ground in disgust. "Blood magic."

Remus helped Tonks back to her feet, carefully examining the cut, before quickly healing it with his wand.

"Nicely found, Miss Tonks," he complimented her.

Tonks smiled at the werewolf, and winked. "All part of the plan."

Remus couldn't help but smile at the younger Order member, and Tonks moved down the passage that had opened up, following Moody. Remus gestured for Buffy to go before him, and then brought up the rear. The group came to a halt at a riverbank.

Buffy glanced at the water which practically radiated with darkness.

"Are they...dead bodies?" she asked, taking a closer look at the water.

Remus nodded, no more impressed than Buffy at the thought.

"Well, swimming's out," Tonks murmured.

Moody discovered the boat attacked to a chain, and with a tap of his wand, the boat began drifting to where they stood.

"Two of us should stay here, and two of us should go on the boat," Moody said. "No point in putting all our eggs in one basket."

"I'll go," Remus said.

"Me too," Tonks spoke up.

"Which leaves me and Summers here," Moody said.

Remus nodded and carefully stepped into the boat. He put his hand out for Tonks, but the moment the woman tried to step into the boat, she was pushed back by an invisible force. She tried again, with the same result.

"Alright, Tonks, let me try," Moody ordered.

The ex-Auror moved to get in the boat, but he too was expelled before he could step foot within.

"My turn?" Buffy asked.

She breathed in deeply before stepping forward. To everyone's surprise, Buffy was able to step in without any difficulties.

"Weird," she commented.

"Don't look a gift hippogriff in the mouth," Remus said.

Buffy nodded and sat, slightly nervous as the boat began moving to the centre of the lake, where a small island rose from the depths of the water. What looked like a bird-bath was seated on the centre of the island.

Remus and Buffy disembarked, and walked towards the small fountain. In the centre, a dark green liquid glowed.

"You know, in the muggle world, green always means go. Why is it, that the wizarding world is the exact opposite?" Buffy mused quietly.

"A mystery of the universe," Remus replied.

To the side of the bowl of liquid, a golden cup rested. Its purpose was clear. Fill the cup, drink the liquid, grab the Horcrux.

"I don't like the look of this," Buffy whispered.

Remus didn't either.

He took hold of the cup, and dipped it into the liquid, careful to keep his skin away from any stray drops. He threw the liquid from the cup onto the group, but the level of water in the basin filled up once again. Vanishing the liquid in the cup yielded the same results to the basin. Finally, Remus gave in and lifted the cup to his mouth.

"To my health," he toasted, and bravely drank down the liquid. He dropped to his knees, clutching his stomach.

"Remus..."

"Fill...it...again," he choked out.

Buffy hesitated, but as she watched her godfather struggle to his feet, she obeyed, and filled the cup with the foul liquid.

"You have to make sure I reach the bottom," Remus spluttered. "No matter what happens. No matter what I say."

Buffy didn't really understand it, but she obeyed, keeping the cup at Remus's lips, and forcing it down his throat.

Mouthful by mouthful, the liquid disappeared, and Remus became weaker and weaker. He yelled, incoherently at first, and then more clearly, yelling out the names of Buffy's biological parents, begging them to come back.

Buffy filled the cup one last time, and as Remus swallowed, he reached into the basin, and grabbed the locket at the bottom. He yanked his hand out and fell to the ground, retching violently.

He handed the locket to Buffy who slipped it into her pocket, tying the chain around her belt loop.

Handing over the Horcrux, however, was the last human thought from Remus. Despite being deep underground, and despite it being a half-moon outdoors, Remus began transforming, fur growing at a rapid rate, his nose and mouth growing into a snout, and his hands and feet becoming paws with wicked looking claws. Buffy yelled and jumped back.

She looked around frantically. To Buffy's dismay, the boat had disappeared.

The wolf painstakingly rose to its feet, and Buffy lifted her wand, her hand shaking slightly.

"Stupefy!" she yelled.

The wolf yelped, but the spell had no effect.

"Uh, little help here!" Buffy yelled worriedly. Werewolves had not been part of her training.

Tonks and Moody sent simultaneous purple jets of light at the wolf, who immediately fell to the floor, snoring loudly. Buffy breathed a sigh of relief and looked back across the lake. "Thanks!"

"So...didja get it?!" Tonks yelled.

"Yeah! But poor Remus isn't doing so well! How the heck are we meant to get back across?"

"Will, if you can't go in it, and you can't go on it...you'll have to go over it!" Tonks sing-songed, a distant memory of a song her muggleborn father had sung to her popping into her mind.

"You want me to levitate him?" Buffy asked.

"Tonks will concentrate on getting you across, and I'll get Remus across. Grab hold of him!" Moody called.

Buffy moved to grab hold of Remus, gripping him around his torso, and was startled as she began floating. She tightened her grip on the werewolf, and kept her eyes on Moody and Tonks, whose wands were steady.

She began feeling more confident as they approached the shore.

They began floating lower, preparing to land on solid ground. Buffy was startled by a slimy wet hand on her ankle, and she screamed and began falling. Tonks' concentrationg had broken at Buffy's scream, but the werewolf was carefully lowered to the ground.

Buffy landed in the water with a splash, and the moment she hit the lake, dozens of dead bodies began fighting to keep her in the water.

"Inferi!" Tonks shouted.

Moody didn't need to be told, and he quickly conjured massive fires to skim the surface of the lake. It kept the Inferi from coming to the surface. Unfortunately, it also kept Buffy from coming to the surface as well.

"Surround Summers with fire," Moody yelled.

Tonks struggled to locate the girl in the water, but noticed the congregation of angry Inferi. She aimed the fire at them, and watched as they dispersed. She created a ring, big enough to allow Buffy into the centre. Moody kept aiming at the incoming corpses who were attempting to break through the circle to get at the girl in the centre.

"Swim towards us!" Tonks yelled.

Buffy was only too happy to comply. It was slow going, and with the rate her heart was pounding, she was surprised that she hadn't had a massive coronary.

With one final stroke, Buffy launched herself out of the lake and onto dry land. Tonk grabbed her arms and pulled her away from the edge, and Moody created a wall of fire that surrounded the lake and kept the Inferi within it.

Buffy gasped deeply, exhausted from the sudden drop in adrenaline, and her lungs burning from the flames.

"Let's go," Moody said.

He aimed his wand at the still sleeping werewolf, and began floating him towards the still open entrance. The quartet left, thankful to still be alive.

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Sirius Black, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Hestia Jones and Loren Fortescue were assigned to retrieve Rowena Ravenclaw's dagger. Dumbledore, after viewing many hours of memories gathered from old teachers, acquaintances and imprisoned Death Eaters, the Headmaster had sent the group to a small town in Northern Ireland, where it had been rumoured that Voldemort had discovered Nagini.

Black, Shacklebolt, Jones and Fortescue had journeyed by muggle transport. Trains, buses and boats had led them to their final destination. And in the forests that surrounded a small muggle town, the group encountered a nest of giant snakes, remarkably similar to Nagini in size, pattern and temperament.

"Have I mentioned how much I hate snakes?" Sirius asked, his wand pointed at the closest of the creatures. Shacklebolt was at his back, and Hestia and Loren were on either side of him.

"_Condria Exhume_!" Jones cast, and the snake she was aiming at was cast backwards, flying through the air until it hit a tree, and fell, stunned to the earth.

The other three followed her example, quickly dispatching the group of six snakes until the creatures were all scattered.

"Keep your eyes open. If the dagger's here, it could be anywhere," Sirius cautioned them. "Most likely it'll be hidden quite well."

The four of them spread out, though they kept each other in eyeline at all times.

The made their way through the forest, looking out for snakes as well as the dagger of Ravenclaw. After nearly five hours of a fruitless search, they broke for lunch. The meal was simple, sandwiches and bottled water, purchased from the muggle town they'd come through earlier.

Loren stood after the meal and excused himself, the call of nature was loud, and he was rather shy.

"We'll keep searching until night fall," Shacklebolt said as they waited for Loren to return.

"Just make sure we keep track of where we've been already," Sirius said. "No use going over ground again."

Jones nodded her agreement. Before she could speak however, the three of them were startled by the abrupt scream of Loren, coming from the south. The scream was cut off, as though Loren had run out of air.

Sirius led the others to where Loren had disappeared into the woods. He stopped abruptly, realising why Loren had screamed.

A giant hole, large enough for a snake to live in, had caught Loren by surprise.

Hestia gasped, looking down the hole at Loren, whose body lay awkwardly at the bottom of the deep hole. His neck snapped, his legs twisted, Loren had died the moment he hit the ground.

"Sweet Merlin," Kingsley murmured softly.

The three stood in silence for a moment. Sirius slowly aimed his wand at Loren and levitated him out of the hole and gently laid him on the ground. Kingsley touched the man's face, gently closing Loren's eyes.

Hestia, unable to look at the young man's body, cast her eyes back to the hole that had cost Loren his life. A sparkle caught her eyes, a silver glint reflecting the overhead sun. She carefully lowered herself into the hole, and kicked away the dead leaves that had partially covered the object.

There, at the bottom of the snake hole, was Rowena Ravenclaw's dagger. From the looks of it, it seemed as though it had been horded in amongst a myriad of odds and ends, including several muggle lighters, an old bottle, and a number of boots. The snake had been a collector of odds and ends, which made no sense to Hestia, but then, she knew nothing of snakes.

"Sirius, Kingsley...I think I found it."

Sirus and Kingsley flattened themselves to the ground, and leant their heads over the hole. The two men exchanged a glance and Kingsley handed Hestia a glove.

"The glove is spelled to null all transportation charms. Grab the dagger by the handle, but keep the glove on," he instructed.

Hestia, who'd agreed before the mission to comply with orders and not ask questions, no matter how much she wanted to, pulled the glove over her hand and grabbed hold of the dagger. She allowed the two men to pull her out of the hole, and then she handed both the glove and the dagger to Sirius.

"Easier than we thought," Sirius commented.

Kingsley sighed softly, his gaze landing on Loren.

"It wasn't easy at all."


	42. The Incantation

CHAPTER FORTY-TWO: THE INCANTATION

Sirius, Remus, Kingsley, Snape, Buffy, Harry and Dumbledore were congregated in the latter's office, each of them silent as they pondered the latest turn of events.

Ravenclaw's dagger had been destroyed.

But when the locket had been opened for closer examination, they'd found a note, written to Voldemort.

_To the Dark Lord,_

_I know I will be dead long before you read this but I want you to knot that it was I who discovered your secret.  
I have stolen the real Horcrux and intend to destroy it as soon as I can.  
I face death in the hope that when you meet your match, you will be mortal once more. _

_R.A.B_

Dumbledore stared at the gathered group, those whom he trusted most in the world.

"This complicates things," Harry murmured.

"R.A.B," Remus mused. He glanced to Sirius, who had lost all colour in his face. "You don't think-"

Sirius breathed in deeply. It had been a long time since he'd even thought about his brother. Regulus Acturus Black had been a Death-Eater. One that had been killed for turning traitor. Perhaps there was far more to the story than Sirius had ever realised.

"It's possible," Sirius conceded.

"What's possible?" Buffy asked.

"My brother," Sirius said. "Regulus Acturus Black. He was a Death-Eater. He was killed for turning traitor. We never found out what he did."

"But his letter seems to confirm Dumbledore's supposition," Remus added. "That destroying the Horcruxes will make Voldemort mortal once more."

"That's one piece of good news, at least," Harry said, trying to find something good out of a bad situation.

Snape leant forward in his seat, his fingers touching at their tips, and his voice quietly controlled. "Have we any idea if the locket was destroyed?"

"We must assume for now that it wasn't," Dumbledore replied. "Until we know for certain, we cannot risk an offensive attack against Voldemort."

"But how do we go about finding the locket now?" Buffy asked. "It could be anywhere. If this Regular guy took it, he'd probably have hidden it in the last place anyone would look."

The group went silent. Their youngest member had a point. It had been hard enough tracking down the relics, and linking the locations to places that Voldemort had been known to visit. Finding the final Horcrux, which had been stolen, could very well prove to be impossible. Which meant that if they went up against Voldemort, without destroying the final Horcrux, and managed to win, it would only be a temporary victory once again.

"And not to be pessimistic, but if Regulus -if it was he who stole it- did destroy the Horcrux, then we may never know for certain," Kinglesy Shacklebolt added.

The group seemed to deflate a little. Just when they'd been so close to finally getting rid of Voldemort once and for all. Although, they felt immensely better for knowing that there was only Voldemort himself and the missing Horcrux left to destroy. It made it seem far less terrifying to know that Voldemort's power base had been crumbling around him without the Dark Lord even being aware of it.

For another half an hour, the group tossed around ideas, and suggestions on how to deal with this new problem, but no resolution was agreed upon. It was finally decided that they would adjourn for the evening, and meet again in two days time, hopefully with new ideas and fresh angles to look at.

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"A fake?" Hermione repeated incredulously. "Do you mean to say that after everything you and poor Remus went through to get that thing, it's a bloody fake?"

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Buffy had to bite back a smile. She'd never heard Hermione swear before, and from the snorted laughter coming from Ron, it was obvious that Buffy wasn't the only one who was amused.

Blaise snickered, though immediately stopped when the bushy-haired Gryffindor turned glaring eyes towards the Slytherin.

"I'm no happier about it than you are," Buffy replied.

Hermione sighed and rolled her eyes. Despite the fact that Hermione, Ron, herself and Blaise weren't part of the Order of the Phoenix, and had taken no part in finding any of the relics, she still felt the disappointment as keenly as the Order members. She'd been living the life of an Order member vicariously through Buffy, as had her friends.

Of course, she'd been expecting better and more satisfying results than this.

"So now what?" Ron asked.

Buffy shook her head. "That's the problem. Regular Black, or whatever his name was, he went to a hell of a lot of trouble to get to the locket. Which means he wouldn't just leave it lying around for anyone to find. He'd have gone to a lot of trouble to hide it."

"Wait…you mean Regulus Black?" Harry asked. "Sirius's brother?"

"That's him. Honestly, I don't know what wizarding parents are thinking half the time. Sirius and Regulus?" Buffy mused, scrunching her nose in distaste.

"What, like 'Buffy' is any better?" Blaise teased.

"You gave me that name!" Buffy retorted.

"I was two, what d'you expect?"

"I can't believe Sirius's brother had the guts to go against You-Know-Who," Ron interrupted the bickering sisters. "Sounds like suicide."

"It was suicide," Hermione reminded him. "You-Know-Who had Regulus killed, didn't he?"

"True. But was that before or after he'd had a chance to destroy the locket?" Buffy asked.

Hermione sighed. "We might never know that."

Harry stood up and began pacing. He hadn't liked being kept out of the missions to find the relics, but neither Dumbledore nor Sirius had been willing to let him miss school. It seemed unfair, seeing as his twin sister was allowed to go, but even Harry had to admit that Buffy was somewhat safer on these death-defying missions, than she would have been at Hogwarts.

"Surely there's some way we could find it," Harry huffed. "I mean, what's magic for if not for this sort of stuff?"

"Isn't there some sort of general locating spell?" Buffy asked.

All eyes turned to Hermione, who shook her head sadly.

"With magic like that, we'd need to know what exactly we were looking for. Any spell we cast requires a lot of mental work. It's not just about words, and intent, but it needs to be very specific. Can you imagine casting a spell to summon a missing locket to you? You'd be inundated with hundreds of lockets that had been lost over the years," Hermione explained.

The other four teens sighed despondently at the news.

Hermione however, began sorting through the backlog of information she'd absorbed over the years. She'd read as many books as she could get her hands, on, and surely, surely, somewhere in all that information there would be something useful.

Harry, Ron, Blaise and Buffy shared a quick smile as they saw Hermione in her 'thinking position', her eyes flickering slightly as though she was reading from an invisible book.

The bookish witch suddenly jolted upright. Of course! Why hadn't she thought of that?

"I need 'Ryshna's Compositions'."

The book appeared on the table in front of her. She blinked, slightly taken aback, before remembering where they were. The Room of Requirement. She'd almost forgotten. At the moment, it resembled a cosy lounge-room that she, Harry, Buffy, Blaise and Ron had taken to lounging around in after classes and on the weekends that Buffy was back.

"What's that about?" Ron asked.

"Ryshna was a witch back in the twelfth century. A lot of magic-users back then didn't use wands at all, and did everything with a word, or a blink, or a look, or a hand movement. Instead of using wands, they used incantations to do pretty much everything you could ever think of doing," Hermione explained. "Ryshna's Composition is vastly outdated, but I remember reading a spell that would enable anyone, anywhere, to locate anything. Her guide to writing incantations is foolproof. With a good enough description, you could find anything."

"Anything? Like a locket that no one's ever seen," Buffy ventured.

"Exactly. The only problem is, Ryshna believed wholeheartedly in white magic. The intentions behind any of these spells needs to be pure," Hermione said, cringing slightly. She couldn't imagine anyone having pure thoughts in regards to Voldemort. Her own tended to be malicious and downright violent.

"Our intentions are pure," Ron insisted. "We purely want to kill him!"

Hermione flicked through the pages before stopping at the right one.

"Well, unfortunately, that's not the kind of pure that Ryshna meant. She was strictly non-violent," Hermione explained. "Magic wasn't something to be toyed with. She wanted people to respect the magic and the power they held. Her introduction is very specific. She doesn't want people being swayed to darkness."

Harry sighed in defeat. That wasn't quite was he was hoping to hear.

Buffy however, couldn't help but react to Hermione's last words.

"Could I read that introduction?" she asked.

Hermione looked slightly surprised. It wasn't like any of her friends to ask to read any of the information she gave them. She shrugged and handed the book over.

Buffy skimmed through the five page introduction, taking in the words about the respect needed for the world, and for the power held within a magic user. And then she finally found what Hermione had been talking about.

'_Let the magic come from within, from a place of love, passion, compassion and understanding, lest the user be swayed to darkness. Do not let hatred hamper your talents, else be devoured by light_.'

Buffy swallowed hard. This was not a coincidence. There was no way. She didn't believe in coincidences. Two phrases from the prophecy about she and Harry had popped up in the one book that would led them towards Voldemort's last Horcrux.

Love, passion, compassion and understanding. At one stage, five years ago, she'd had all of those things for her family. She'd once believed in what they believed. That Voldemort's way was the way of the future. That the big picture was that witches and wizards were superior to all and sundry, and that the honour of being pureblood was not something to be taken lightly.

She once believed that whole-heartedly. She'd been arrogant and conceited, and she remembered well the bitter ache she'd felt at meeting her first muggle-born witch. Everything she'd ever known had been challenged in her first week at Hogwarts, and she had seen the error of her ways.

But she had once believed. She had once understood. She had been passionate. And compassionate. She could remember the tales she'd heard about the Death-Eaters being 'unfairly' sentenced to Azkaban for trying to uphold their beliefs. She'd believed them to be freedom-fighters once upon a time. She'd once felt love for those that she now despised.

This spell was something that she could do. She'd once believed in this. And for the next twenty minutes, she could believe in it again.

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Harry glanced at his sister anxiously. She was seated in on the ground, a circle of white crystals surrounding her, with four candles at north, south, east and west.

"Are you sure this will work?" he asked.

Buffy looked up at her brother. She offered what she hoped was a reassuring smile. "It will work."

Of course, the question she was asking herself was more along the lines of whether she'd be alive after it worked. But Harry didn't need to know that just yet. He'd never allow her to go through with it if he knew how much danger she was putting herself in.

But this was right.

She took a final glance at Harry, Blaise, Ron and Hermione, before closing her eyes and beginning.

Buffy inhaled deeply, finding her centre, her balance. She let her mind retreat to the mindset she'd had so many years back before she'd been betrayed by the man she thought to be her father. She put herself back to the time when she'd have done anything to earn his favour. When she'd have gladly joined Voldemort, if it would have meant earning the respect of her father.

It was surprisingly easy, and more than a little frightening to know that part of her still felt that bone deep need for her father's approval. But she pushed the fear aside, and allowed the memories to flow through her. That seed of darkness she'd been brought up with, to respect and revere the Dark Lord surfaced, and the need to please by serving the vanished wizard floated through her.

'_In this time and in this place  
I call to thee, through time and space  
Across the land, and through the sea  
I summon thee to come to me_

_Darkened soul locked within  
Life of power, pain and sin  
Blackest magic, darkest soul  
Split in seven, never whole_

_A locket, made of tarnished gold  
Beckoned here from days of old  
I call upon the circles power  
Come to me this midnight hour_.'

The quartet watching her chant jumped in shock as the flame from the candles flared violently. The flames flickered, and then shot upwards, the tips of the flames meeting several feet in the air, caging Buffy beneath the flickering light.

Harry jumped to his feet, approaching the circle. A flaming tendril shot towards him, and pushed him back, though the fire didn't burn him.

"Hermione…"

"Harry, I have no idea," Hermione admitted anxiously. "The book didn't mention anything about this!"

The cage of flames spread thickly, becoming a circling wall, and the heat that gathered in the room was excruciatingly hot.

"Maybe we should get someone," Hermione suggested fearfully.

"Yeah, and pray we don't all get expelled!" Ron yelled.

"I'd rather be expelled than watch her burn to death!" Blaise cried.

Ron took another look at the flames that held Buffy captive. "I'll get Professor McGonagall."

Hermione nodded and Ron moved to the door.

"No!" Harry yelled.

Ron stopped, looking back, fearful of what he would see.

Buffy was levitating within the circle of flames, thin tendrils of fire moving over her body, caressing her bare skin and weaving through her blonde hair. But it didn't seem to burn her, and Ron was grateful for small favours.

"Get Snape!" Harry yelled.

Ron looked bewildered at the uncommon suggestion. He glanced to Hermione, who nodded her agreement. Ron shrugged, and raced out of the room.

Hermione, Blaise and Harry watched in fear as the flames continued their dance across the blonde encircled within.

Buffy's eyes snapped open, though they seemed sightless. The flames burned brighter, and Hermione, Harry and Blaise were forced to cover their eyes. A loud crack startled them both, and as they cautiously removed their hands, they stood in silent shock.

The good news was, the flames were gone, and a tarnished gold locket was lying next to one of the crystals.

The bad news was that Buffy was gone.

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Heh, who can tell I've been watching 'Charmed' lately. And a cookie to anyone who guesses where I borrowed the 'wrapped in flames' imagery from. :) Many thanks for all your reviews!!!

Finished with the re-write of the add-in chappies, so it's ended up at 49 chapters total. I wanted to do fifty, but there was nothing else to say. *sighs* I hate odd numbers.


	43. The Locket

CHAPTER FORTY-THREE: THE LOCKET

The trio couldn't speak. They didn't dare move. They could only stare in wide-eyed disbelief at what they were seeing.

A crash at the door distracted them both, and they spun around to see Ron dashing frantically into the room, followed by a worried looking Snape.

"What happened?!" the Professor demanded.

"A spell-"

"Flames-"

"Buffy-"

"One at a time!" Snape yelled. "Mr Weasley informed me that Buffy was attempting a spell to retrieve the Slytherin locket. Where is she now?"

"That's the thing," Blaise said to her Head of House. "She just disappeared. One second she was floating with flames dancing around her, and the next…the next, she was gone and the locket was sitting there instead."

Snape swallowed hard. That was bad news. He crouched down beside the crystal circle, and removed the locket. He studied it carefully, noting the bloodstains encrusted within the engraving that read 'S.S'. Dirt fell from the locket as well, and Snape wondered just where the locket had been hidden for so many years.

"We must take this to Dumbledore."

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"Encased in flames, you say?" Dumbledore repeated.

"Yes sir," Harry said. "But, it didn't seem to be burning her. Or if it was, she didn't seem to be in any pain."

"Strange. And you say this spell wasn't anything dark?"

"I found the spell in Ryshna's Compositions. The spells are specifically designed so that they cannot be used for dark magic," Hermione said. "The introduction specifically states that a magic user needs to be careful of their intentions, or they'll be 'devoured by light'."

"Devoured?" Dumbledore said. "It specifically says that?"

"Yes sir," Hermione said. She passed over the book, pointing to the specific wording. She watched as Dumbledore's brow furrowed.

"Else be devoured by light," he read. "_When the light devours the chosen_…"

Harry's head jerked up at the familiar statement. He knew that prophecy back to front, and the mention of the last and most frightening phrase of it caught his attention.

"Devoured by the light," Harry speculated. "The flames…that could be the light it means. Does that…does that mean that Buffy is…"

"No, Harry," Dumbledore said. "You'd know if she were dead. Your twin-bond ensures that you will always know if your sibling is hurt."

Harry breathed a sigh of relief.

"So where is she?" Blaise demanded angrily.

"That is a question I'm afraid I have no answers to," Dumbledore said. He eyed the locket, his hands closing around it tightly. "And I'm afraid that we may not get to answer it just yet. Unfortunately our priorities are about to change. The tide of the war has turned."

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Harry was unhappy. It wasn't unusual. In fact, it was getting to be downright familiar. He glanced towards Ron and Hermione who looked no happier than he was.

They were seated at the top of the stairwell in the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix, once more banished to the outer reaches of the meeting.

"What do you think they're going to do?" Ron asked.

"Who knows," Hermione said. "We may never find out."

"You'd think they'd let us sit in on the meeting," Ron groused. "Especially considering the fact that Harry's probably the one who's going to have to duel it out with You-Know-Who."

"Ron!" Hermione chastised, risking a glance at Harry, knowing full well how temperamental the Boy-Who-Lived could be.

"No, Hermione, he's right. I can't believe they'd leave us out of it," Harry said. "Voldemort's carrying a lot of hatred around for me, and I need to be able to face him if he pops up. And with Buffy…gone, I don't know that we can win."

Hermione scooted closer to her friend, laying a hand on Harry's arm. "Harry, you don't know for sure that Buffy's really…gone."

"It's been a week," Harry said. "If she was going to come back, she'd have been here already. I can't get my hopes up again."

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"We need to attack _now_!" Alastor Moody argued. "It's our best hope. We're closer now than we've been in years."

"The Death-Eaters are in chaos," Snape said, adding a positive vote to Moody's suggestion. "Fear runs through each of them. Many may not be traitors, though few of them are truly loyal anymore. They know that his powers are waning. It's only a matter of time before the Dark Lord discovers the true deserters. With the confusion running through the ranks, now would be a good time to go forth."

"To go forth with what?" Sirius asked contemptuously. "We still don't know if Voldemort can be killed. Even if we've managed to get all the Horcruxes that were scattered, he is still powerful. We need a better plan than just going in, wands blazing."

Snape sneered in Sirius' direction.

"What about the prophecy?" Arthur Weasley asked.

Dumbledore sighed. "I was hoping to get around that somehow. Most prophecies have a way of being distorted. I don't want Harry anywhere near Lord Voldemort."

"We may not have much choice in the matter," Remus Lupin said. "Voldemort will go after Harry. If not because he feels threatened by him, but because Harry is the ultimate symbol. If Voldemort can kill Harry, then he will prove his power, and those who support freedom for muggle-borns will lose their hope. Harry needs the skills to face Voldemort."

"You want to send Harry to fight Voldemort?!" Sirius exclaimed.

"No, Sirius, you know I don't," Lupin said. "But we may not be able to protect him ourselves. The next best thing is to arm Harry with the tools he will need. And those tools will be the magic needed to defeat Voldemort. Ignoring the fact that Voldemort will go after Harry is doing him no favours."

"I never thought I'd say this, but Lupin is right," Snape said. "Potter does need to be taught. And quickly."

"His friends will need lessons too," Sirius said knowingly. "They won't be left out if they can do anything to help him."

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Remus Lupin, Rupert Giles and Severus Snape stood on the North side of the Room of Requirement, facing Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley and Blaise Zabini. The two groups faced off warily. Remus noticed that Harry seemed particularly angry, though Remus too was worried for Harry's missing sister.

Without word, or warning, a group of silent spells shot from the teens towards the adults, who began either countering or dodging the silently cast spells. Another set of bright lights headed towards the adults, and the teens were moving, defending one another, and casting silent spells, hoping against hope that they would be able to finally defeat their teachers.

Silent casting had not come easily. It had been Snape's idea to cast silencing spells on the teens, ones that could not be counteracted until they had mastered the art. Harry had been the first to manage a non-verbal spell. Hermione followed soon after, Blaise barely minutes after the muggleborn, and Ron about an hour after Blaise.

Harry had hated it, but admitted that Snape had been rather clever in his lesson. A week and a half of living in silence had been absolute hell.

Red lights shot from the teens' wands, followed by blue, followed by yellow jets of light. A stunning spell hit Remus, and he fell to the ground. A binding spell hit Snape, who struggled against the strong chains that Harry and Blaise had conjured. Rupert fell to Hermione's Petrifying spell. With the three adults out of commission, the four teens exchanged grins, before reversing the spells.

"Adequate," was all Snape had to say.

The teens groaned, and knew that there would be far more lessons to come.

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"Has there been any word?" Rupert Giles asked. The question was one that had come from his lips daily for almost three weeks, and still the answer remained the same.

"Nothing," Dumbledore replied. "It's almost as though she's completely disappeared from the face of the earth. Both yourself and Snape are in the best position to hear anything, and still there's nothing. Not even a whisper."

"Perhaps it is best not to get our hopes up," Snape suggested.

Giles swallowed hard, not wanting to acknowledge that Snape was correct.

"I believe even Harry has begun to give up," Dumbledore said. "Though Remus assures me that he is excelling in his advanced lessons."

"Zabini is excelling, and Granger is like a human sponge," Snape corrected the headmaster. "Potter is merely along for the ride, with Weasley riding his coattails."

"Being able to cast silently after barely two weeks is quite an achievement," Giles reminded the Professor. "They're working well as a team, and that is more than can be said about many of the Death Eaters."

Snape scoffed silently, somehow wishing that the fate of the wizarding world had been left in someone else's hands. Potter's male offspring seemed unworthy of the task. And with the female Potter heir missing, it seemed more and more likely that the bane of Snape's existence would be the one to decide the fate of the world. It wasn't particularly encouraging.

"Harry and his friends are proving to be quite a team," Dumbledore replied calmly. "And that is all we can expect. In the meantime, it never hurts to have a little hope for our missing student."

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	44. The In Between

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR: THE IN-BETWEEN

Her eyes were closed, but the brightness still blinded her. She turned away, trying to find a piece of darkness, but there was just the relentless and glaring light. She tried opening her eyes, squinting and holding her hand in front of her face, but still the light overwhelmed her.

"I don't think we're in Hogwarts anymore, Toto," Buffy murmured to herself.

"Well, no, you wouldn't be," replied a calm voice that came from neither in front of, nor behind her. It seemed to bounce off of walls that she couldn't see. "Not now, anyway. You're sort of dead, you see."

"Sort of dead?" Buffy repeated. "Wanna be any more vague Ms. Invisible?"

The voice chuckled a little. "You are a lot like your father, Elizabeth. Courageous, even when the odds seem to be so against you. It was something we all loved about him."

"Who's we? And who _are_ you anyway?"

"Me?" asked the voice. "My name is Alice Longbottom."

"Neville's mother. Giles told me that you and your husband were in St. Mungo's. That you've been there since the end of the last war."

The light surrounding the women dimmed, until Buffy could open her eyes with only minor discomfort. Alice Longbottom stood before her, blonde and beautiful, an ethereal figure bathed in a halo of golden sunshine. The woman smiled and nodded a greeting.

"What you say is true. My husband and I were tortured mercilessly for days on end. And afterwards...there was nothing left but hollow shells. The body can go on living without a soul. But after enough outside influence, a soul can choose to disperse. It is not done easily, nor without consequences. For one, until my body dies, I remain in the in-between."

"The in-between? What, like purgatory?"

Alice shook her head. "It is nothing. Literally nothing. Not of the living world, nor of the dead. It is the in-between, where you can have no influence over events, nor any say in your surroundings. All you can do is watch and wait. And sometimes, like myself, you can intercept the souls of those who are neither living, nor dead, nor whom belong in the in-between."

Buffy's eyebrows scrunched in confusion. Only one logical question came to mind. "Huh?"

Alice smiled. "It is not necessary for you to completely understand," the woman explained. "All you need to know is that you are not finished. The spell you did had some serious consequences. You used a spell that was meant to have only pure purposes. Summoning an object that was bathed in the darkest of all magics was not 'pure'."

"I...I thought the spell would object because we wanted to destroy it...not that we were summoning it in the first place," Buffy said. "That's why I was trying to remember how I used to feel about the Dark Lord returning. I was trying to remember back to when I was eleven and wanted nothing more than to see the 'glory days' my father used to talk about."

Alice breathed in deeply and her lips thinned, eyes closing. Buffy didn't need her to say anything to know that Neville's mother was extremely surprised by that.

"_That_ my dear, is where you went grievously wrong. By focussing that particular thought in your mind, and summoning such a dark object, you opened yourself to a magic that could not be considered pure. Ryshna's magics come with a very harsh stipulation. Being devoured by light is no metaphor, it is a very literal warning to those who would try and use such magic for selfish purposes. It was a dangerous spell to attempt."

"I knew that already," Buffy replied. "I knew it could turn out badly. But I had to try."

"And it worked. You summoned the locket successfully. Of course, you disappeared, you've been missing for three weeks, and your friends think you're dead, so 'badly' may well be a vast understatement."

Buffy froze in shock. "Three weeks?"

Alice nodded. "Time works differently in the in-between. I feel I've been here for less than a week, but rationally, I know it's been over fourteen years. Every moment we spend here, drifting in streams of consciousness, can be a very long time in the living world."

"So, how do I get back?" Buffy asked. "I can get back right?"

"You can go back. But as I said, your spell had serious repercussions. Using an incantation inspired by Ryshna, and using it to summon dark magic has brought about a consequence and a price that may be more than you were willing to pay."

Buffy swallowed nervously. It didn't sound tremendously encouraging.

"All magic has a price. And the price for you is your magic."

Buffy stared at her in shock, wondering if she'd heard the woman correctly.

"My magic?"

Alice nodded sombrely.

"Be grateful that your life is still on offer, young Slayer," Alice reprimanded her gently. "Many people, with malevolent hearts, have used Rhyshna's Compositions for their own gain. They didn't live to tell the tale. And they, like you, were given a choice. Losing magic is a hard price to pay."

The Slayer closed her eyes, trying to sort out her thoughts. Everything was happening too quickly for her liking, and having to make the decision that had just been thrust upon her was an extra burden to the load.

"The world exists purely because of balance," Alice continued. "What the universe must consider right now, in regards to you, is what to do with you and the imbalance that it feels."

Buffy swallowed nervously. "What does it want to do with me?"

"Well, the darkness wants you gone. You're a central player on the board, both you and your brother. The light, obviously, is keen for you to stay. The balance to that particular equation is to return you to your former life, with one obvious difference, a handicap in muggle terms. Your magic will be gone. That is the price of using magic that is not meant to be abused. Despite the fact that it was ultimately an act of goodness, the magic saw only the dark intent you held in your heart at the time of the spell."

Tears welled in Buffy's eyes and she shook her head, trying to deny the thought. A life without magic. It would be like trying stop breathing.

"I don't know if I can..."

"Then you may choose to move on," Alice replied softly, compassion lowering her voice, a mother to a child. "You'll be reunited with your parents, your true parents, James and Lily. You'll spend eternity in blissful peace. No one will blame you for choosing that path. Countless witches and wizards have done the same."

Peace. What she'd fought for, lied for, betrayed and deceived for. That seemingly unattainable notion that so many people had laid down their lives for. And it was being offered to her with a simple word.

"Voldemort..."

"May gain power, or fall from it. It is the way of darkness. I don't say this to depress you, but there will be many others who vie for power in the living realms. Voldemort is not the first, nor will he be the last."

The futility of what she and her brother, and her friends were trying to do was crushing. Voldemort was one man, the central cog in a vast machine. Destroying him wouldn't remove the sentiments that had allowed him to rise to power. People would still remain bigoted, and would lash out in violence. Perhaps they would become even more violent after their master was dead.

And yet another evil would pop up after that. And another would follow. It seemed entirely fruitless.

And yet...

"What would you do?" Buffy asked softly.

Alive smiled enigmatically.

"I'd make the same choice you just made. Be quick to get back inside the wards of Hogwarts. Danger is coming."

And with that, the light blinked out, leaving Buffy in pure darkness.

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I never realised how damn short this chappie is...oh well. Thanks for all your reviews!!

ChildoftheJoker: Thanks for the nitpicking! I've never noticed that mistake, not once in four years!! *lol* Many thanks!

Kristal: I can't believe you know the name of that song!! I had no clue what it was from, but it came to mind. Champion!


	45. The Wards

CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE: THE WARDS

Lord Voldemort was furious, and power sparked from his hands, tendrils of blue energy surging from his spindly fingertips. His servants sat at the long table, their numbers dwindled from the consequences of Voldemort's anger being directed at the unfortunate souls who angered him. And these days, the Dark Lord was extremely quick to anger.

The wizard had not been prone to temper tantrums in his first reign of terror. He'd been cold and calculating, going about his plans and setting himself into his immortality with a cool passionless head. Splitting his soul had meant nothing to him, as long as it gave him what he sought. Eternal life.

And now, his strength was waning. He could feel the holes that he'd never noticed before. And he knew the source. Dumbledore and his infernal band of do-gooders had discovered his secret. How it had happened, he cared not, but defeating the old man had just moved to the top of his priority list. He wanted more than anything to have Dumbledore gone. He couldn't afford to wait.

"We attack. Tonight."

"My L-lord, Hogwarts C-castle has the best defensive wards k-known to wizard-kind," a less-than-brave soul warned him.

Voldemort's red eyes flicked lazily to the man who had just signed his death warrant. "You think that I, Lord Voldemort, cannot penetrate the wards set by an old has-been wizard?" he asked, his voice soft and dangerous.

"No My L-lord, I just..."

"You just don't wish to display your near Squib-like abilities to your comrades, is that it, Pettirgrew?"

Peter Pettigrew shook in terror, shaking his head emphatically. He should have learned long ago to keep his mouth shut around the table when Voldemort was present. But his fear had been too much for him to contain.

"_Crucio!_" Voldemort yelled, pointing his wand at the cowering man, who screamed and fell from his seat. "Does anyone else wish to question me?"

There was a murmuring of 'No, My Lords' from around the table, and when Voldemort was satisfied with the replies, he lifted the curse from Pettigrew.

"We'll begin with a bombardment of the wards on the edge of the Forest. The wards are weakest there, where the Forest-dwellers can come and go as they please, and I believe it will take no more than an hour to break through. We will be silent in our approach, and silent in our attack. Kill all who oppose us, but leave Dumbledore for me. And if anyone comes across the Potter brat, I want him brought to me, alive."

"And the girl?" Benjamin Zabini asked, his eyes cold with hatred.

"Find her...she will live a lifetime of servitude for her betrayal. But not before she kills her brother by her own hand."

"Is there no way around the effect of the brother-cores in your wand and Potter's?" Lucius Malfoy asked.

Voledmort's eyes flashed in anger at the reminder of the last attempt at battle between himself and Potter. It seemed unfathomable to believe that a mere teenage boy had been able to withstand the strength of Lord Voldemort in combat. The brother-wands had been to blame, surely.

"When I have defeated Dumbledore and taken his wand, I shall take special joy in cursing his precious pet saviour. Having the Potter girl kill her brother will be sheerly for pleasure."

Nervous heads nodded, wondering what the night would bring. The teachers of Hogwarts would be fair game, but the majority of the Death-Eaters had children who attended the school they were to attack. Would they be able to go through with killing the students, even when faced with their own children?

"Snape, lure Dumbledore out of the castle, and bring him to the central clearing. Malfoy, you will lead Crabbe and Goyle to the West. Mulciber, Nott, Parkinson, I want you to head East. Bellatrix, you Rodoplus and Rabastan will be with me. Fenrir, tell your pack not to hold back with their fangs."

Fenrir Greyback bared his sharp teeth in a grin that made Pettigrew shiver in fear.

"Our allies will ensure our victory this evening. The Dementors will have a feast of students to drain, and the giants will enjoy destroying the forest. Travers, rally the vampires together. We take no hostages, except the Potters. Tonight will be a night to remember."

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The wards to Hogwarts were both quite simple, and quite complex. If an intruder wished to do harm to a student, the wards expelled them, either through a Confundus spell, or through more forceful physical means. If an intruder wished to gain access so he could find shelter within the castle and do no harm, the wards brought him into the protection of the grounds.

The would-be intruders standing outside the invisible barriers were not peaceful travellers in need of shelter, however. The wards seemed to pulse in the moonlight, an almost tangible substance that seemed to mock those who wished to break them.

The air surrounding the Death Eaters was icy cold, and none were brave enough to show how disconcerting they found being near the presence of the Dementors. Some, like the Lestranges, had plenty of experience with the Death Eaters, and knew that there was no way of accustoming to the feeling of empty hopelessness that came from being close to the dark creatures.

Voldemort, however, remained unaffected.

For the last twenty minutes, he and his most talented curse breakers, Mulciber and Nott, had been trying to peel back the layers of defence that Hogwarts had surrounding it.

"_Dididi Ademptio Tabesco_."

Forty-five voices whispered the incantation simultaneously, jets of burgundy lights hitting the invisible wall and evaporating into the mist of the night. Voldemort pushed the closest of his servants at the barrier, only to have the man be thrown upwards and over their heads, landing in a sprawling heap, narrowly missing a rock that would easily have broken his spine. The wards had knocked him unconscious.

"_Nusquam Esse Claustrum__!"_

A ripple across the space in front of them. Another unfortunate shoved towards the barrier, to be thrown back and land in a jumble of limbs.

_"Dido Arceo Cado Abscido Nusquam!"_

Forty-two more attempts, using different variations of counter-wards, and forty-two more failures left the Dark Lord frustrated and vexed. It had been two hours, far more time than he'd estimated. Unconscious Death Eaters lay behind him, and the Dark Lord had neither the patience nor the inclination to revive them from their cataleptic states.

The Dementors were becoming impatient, and had taken to swooping close to the clump of Death Eaters. The Kiss of vampires, twelve in all, had been surreptitiously attempting to do the same. Several of the Death Eaters had suspicious looking bites on their necks, though none of them were dead. The giants had taken to fighting between themselves, and two of the twenty-strong group were unconscious already.

The light provided by the light of the full moon suddenly went dim, a shadow passing over the brightness. A flash of purest white blinded the Dark Lord for a moment, and he heard a familiar sound. Having listened to so many of his Death Eaters hit the ground, hearing another body do the same left him wary. He silently illuminated the area, and saw the very bane of his existence.

Well, one of them, at least.

The girl was disorientated, and seemed to be as surprised to be in the midst of a group of unconscious Death Eaters as Voldemort was to see the girl. Voldemort couldn't believe his luck.

Snape had told him that the girl, calling herself Buffy Summers of all the foolish things, had left Hogwarts after a series of incidents with cruel students had sent her running, 'just like a Potter' Snape had sneered. Voldemort had casually looked for her, expending no real effort to find the child. She wasn't important to his plans, but seeing her, helpless and lying before him, he felt glee at the thought of torturing the traitor.

He grabbed her by the scruff of her neck and hauled her to her feet.

It occurred to him that he needed to keep a tight grip of the girl. If she escaped through the wards, who would easily accept her, he wouldn't have a chance to get close to the castle. So far, in the two hours they'd been out here, there hadn't been any sign of resistance from the inhabitants.

"Elizabeth, we meet again," he crooned softly. "It's a nice night for a massacre...and you're just the girl to help me."

"Did you put 'delusional' on your CV when you asked Dumbledore to give you a job?" Buffy snarked. Voldemort's eyes flashed with anger at having something he was certain no one knew about, thrown back in his face. "Cos that woulda put a serious crimp in your chances."

"Insolent girl!" Voldemort bellowed. "I have a mind to kill you right here."

"Gotta catch me first!" she replied, using his moment of anger to kick his crotch and pull away from his grip. She remembered the warning Alice Longbottom had given her in the In-Between, about getting inside the wards as quickly as possible. She pelted away from the crazy man, aiming for the Forest, only to be caught barely six feet away by an invisible hand. She looked at him in stunned disbelief, realising he was still on his feet with no signs of being injured. Kicking men in the crotch had always worked for her in training with Giles.

"Holy crap...the rumours were true," Buffy wheezed, feeling the massive hand around her tighten. "You really are a little pussy."

The hand squeezed her violently, and she struggled to breathe. Moments later, the hand loosened, but did not let her go.

"Taunting me to kill you will not work, girl," he warned. "I am very patient. Thirteen years as nothing more than spirit taught me the value of waiting. And now is not the time to kill you."

After seventy five years of life, there were a great many things that the Dark Lord had learned about magic. The first was that if a door was locked, there was always a key. A ward could be broken, eventually. A curse could be countered. A hex could be shielded. And a loophole existed for virtually everything.

It was so simple that he'd overlooked it before.

"You're the one that will let me in. If you hadn't come, I couldn't go in. The wards will recognise you, Elizabeth, and they will bend to allow you in. And if I just happen to be holding you...well...they won't see me, will they? A curious flaw in magical wards."

He'd discovered that flaw years ago, when he'd grabbed hold of someone as they'd tried to apparate away from him. He'd been brought into a house under the Fidelius Charm, despite not being told the secret of the location. If he was holding onto someone who could go through a ward, he could hitchhike in with them.

Buffy stared at him in horror. She couldn't let that happen. She twisted frantically, but found that Voldemort's magical grasp on her was firm.

"I even think I have a little time to spare to thank you for your betrayal. _Crucio_!"

She fell to the ground, her forehead striking a rock, and her blood glistened in the moonlight.

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In the Gryffindor Tower, Harry Potter awoke, his head strangely throbbing, though his scar didn't burn. He brought his hand up to wipe a trickle of sweat from his face, and realised that it was not sweat, but blood that he wiped from his brow.

"Buffy!" he yelled, with no rhyme or reason, and threw the covers of his bed back, startling Hedwig who promptly flew out the window. He slipped into his shoes, fumbled his glasses onto his face, grabbed his wand and woke Ron hurriedly. The red-head was hard to wake, but after glimpsing the blood on Harry's face, he woke faster than ever.

"Come on!" Harry insisted. "Buffy's in trouble."

Ron grabbed his wand from beneath his nightstand, and slipped into his shoes. The two boys raced out of the dorms and down the stairs to the Common Room. They stopped in shock as they saw Hermione, hair bushier than ever, alert and wand at the ready. Hedwig was perched beside her, her feathers ruffled, looking ready for flight.

"Hedwig," Harry turned, addressing the white owl who blinked up at her companion. "I need you to get Blaise Zabini."

Hedwig hooted softly, nipped Harry's fingers, and took off for the nearest open window. He turned back to his friends.

"What's going on? And why are you bleeding?" Hermione asked.

"I'll explain on the way," he said, pushing his two friends towards the portrait hole, and then out into the darkened corridors. The trio whispered '_lumos_' to brighten their wands as Harry led them towards the Headmaster's office.

"I woke up with a headache," Harry said. "But my scar didn't burn, like usual. It wasn't Voldemort giving me the headache, it's Buffy. And she's hurt. That's where the blood's coming from."

"D'you know where she is, mate?" Ron asked, worrying for his friend who hadn't been the same since the blonde girl had disappeared a week before.

"I think Voldemort has her. I think he's going to attack, tonight. I think he can feel his Horcrux's being destroyed. I bet he can almost taste his mortality," Harry said. "He has to be worried that Dumbledore knows that he's not truly immortal. Without the Horcruxes, he's as vulnerable as any of us."

The trio came skidding to a halt at the statue that guarded the entrance to Dumbledore's office. Harry began throwing out names of sweets that Dumbledore favoured. He was interrupted by the arrival of the brunette Slytherin that Hedwig had so promptly fetched.

"Thanks for thinking of me, Potter," Blaise said.

"We're a team, Zabini," Harry replied. "Our sister needs us."

Blaise nodded, wondering if this would be the true battle between good and evil. She'd once believed that she wouldn't have the strength to stand and fight against her father. But having the Gyffindor Trio at her back certainly didn't hurt. The thought that her sister was somewhere on the battlefield already was a motivating factor. It was enough to make her turn her back fully on her father and his 'pureblood' ideals.

They continued guessing passwords until Hermione came to 'liquorice allsorts', and the statue began to move.

The four students ran up the spiralling staircase, and burst into the Headmaster's office to find that the Professor already had a plethora of guests.

"Sirius, Remus, you'll head to the Forbidden Forest, the wards are weakening at the edges of the Northern Lake."

"Full dark is in less than an hour," Remus protested. "It won't be safe."

"Don't be afraid to bear your teeth," Dumbledore advised. "Your opponents have chosen their loyalties, and they know the consequences associated with attacking the Castle. Sirius, your animagus form can take more damage than your human form. Padfoot and Moony will roam the Forest once more."

Sirius and Remus nodded, though the lycanthrope looked ill at the thought of purposefully harming someone in his form of a wolf.

"Shacklebolt, you, Fletcher and Tonks should head East. I do not expect the Death Eaters to attack as a single group. We need to be prepared to fight on all sides. Moody, take Bill and Charlie to the West. Be prepared for anything you may encounter. Molly, Arthur, you Hestia and Dedalus will take the centre path. Giants will roam, and werewolves will hunt. Remember, vampires will be destroyed by sunlight, and the Dark Lord has allied himself with a violent Kiss."

The Order Members broke off into their groups of three, exchanging handshakes and nods of acceptance of Dumbledore's plan.

"Let Light and Life be on our side this night," Dumbledore said. "Make haste, and do not hesitate to render our enemies unto Death's hands. Spare no mercy, for they shall show none to us."

The group was silent as they walked past the four teenagers, Sirius laying a hand on his godson's shoulder as he left to fight a battle that had started more than twenty years ago.

"Severus, you and I shall go together, just as Voldemort expects. The Aurors will arrive within moments, and they will flank us through the forest. I've been assured that they are all capable of casting corporeal Patronuses to fight against the Dementors. Hagrid is speaking with the centaurs and acromantulas in a bid to convince them to join us. If we cannot have their aid, then at least we shall not be hindered by them either."

Severus nodded his agreement. Dumbledore turned his serious blue eyes to the three students who were stunned to find the Headmaster already planning.

"You knew something was wrong?" Harry asked.

"Yes, Harry. I felt the attack on the wards. I gathered together our allies, and dispersed them as necessary. We were not unprepared for an attack on the castle. I had hoped it would not be so soon, however."

"Are the wards still holding sir?" Hermione asked.

"For now. Though they will fall. A sustained attack like this will break the power of the wards. They cannot hold forever."

"What can we do?" Harry asked.

Dumbledore closed his eyes for a mere moment before looking at the quartet, seeing not just young boys and girls, but two women with two men. For all their young looks, the expressions on their faces told the old wizard that these four were ready for war.

"What we must," Dumbledore replied. "Remus has been teaching you spells that would normally have us all arrested. You must not hesitate to use them this night. This will be a fight for our very survival, and the existence of this school and its students. I would not place this burden on you if I did not feel you were ready for it. And I would not ask if I didn't already believe you to be willing to fight."

"We're ready sir," Ron said softly. "And willing."

"Then the four of you will stay together. Look for your sister Harry, Blaise. I believe that she is here, mixed up in this battle of good and evil. To what purpose, I don't know, but I believe she's here."

Harry and Blaise nodded grimly. Having their sister to focus on made the thought of joining the battle both easier and more painful.

"The other teachers are beginning to evacuate the students, taking them to safe locations away from Hogwarts, to ensure they remain unharmed. I fear the battle will be long and bloody. The students will be safe and the Death Eaters attempts to destroy the future shall fall around their ankles as they discover that light and life are truly the more powerful."

"Sir...the prophecy," Harry said softly. "We've destroyed the Horcruxes, and now's the best chance I might have. I still don't know what this 'power He knows not' is meant to be."

"Harry, when the time comes, you will know. It's inside of you, it always has been. Stick with your friends Harry. They give you a power that even you don't realise."

With that, the Headmaster turned and left, Snape at his side.

"Let's go," Blaise said, anxious to find her sister.

Hermione and Ron followed the Slytherin, and Harry lingered in the office a moment longer. The three teens awaiting him in the hall didn't notice the Concealment Charm that hid the Sword of Gryffindor at his side.

0000

Longer chappie to make up for the length of the previous one. *grins*

Loving your reviews guys!! Thanks!!


	46. The Battle

CHAPTER FORTY-SIX: THE BATTLE

With one arm wrenched behind her and held up at an impossible and painful angle, Buffy was frog-marched towards the invisible barrier that had kept Voldemort and his followers out of the school grounds for the better part of two hours. And even though the young woman couldn't see the ward, she could sense the magic that held it up. She knew that the barrier would welcome her through it, despite her deepest wish for it to keep her out. It saw a student in danger, but didn't recognise the danger that came in at her heels.

"Dumbledore certainly isn't as powerful as he thought," Voldemort taunted her. "He cannot keep the great Lord Voldemort out for long."

Buffy gave another full-bodied attempt to struggle away, but succeeded only in wrenching her shoulder. She was fairly certain the Dark Lord had dislocated it, and the throbbing pain was making her nauseous.

"This is certainly a victory to remember," Voldemort said, and without further fuss, he stepped through the barrier, holding tightly to the squirming student who allowed him to pass through as a passenger. The wards rippled angrily, sensing that something terrible had happened, but unable to discern what.

Buffy fought harder than ever as they passed through the wards, unable to help the guilt that came with knowing that she had let him through the gates that protected her dearest friends, and her brother and sister. If they died tonight, it would be entirely her fault. Without her magic, she was helpless.

Done with the girl now that the wards had been breached, he tossed her carelessly to the ground, enjoying the yelp that escaped from her. Buffy clutched at her damaged arm and slid slowly across the ground until her back hit the base of a towering tree. She breathed in deeply, bracing herself for the pain she was about to inflict on herself. She breathed in deeply and threw her shoulder against the tree, the dislocated joint popping back into place loudly. Buffy closed her eyes dizzily, but felt the queasiness begin to recede.

Voldemort paid little attention to the injured girl, instead, he aimed his wand towards the wards, attacking them from the inside. Within minutes, they were broken down, unused to feeling the attacks from the inside. With another spell, the unconscious Death Eaters were awoken, and getting back to their feet. Somewhere close by, a pack of wolves were baying at the full moon, kept away from the Death Eaters until the wards had been breached. A shiver travelled down her spine, and she knew, _knew_, that the wolves were with Voldemort.

Buffy scrambled back, fear coursing through her. Dementors began swarming into the Forest, spreading fear wherever they flew, seeking out the victims they could hurt. It was all well and good for her to be a Slayer, but there were things that even Slayers couldn't combat. Without her wand, and without a Patronus Charm, she was a sitting duck, just waiting to be killed. She tried to get to her feet, hoping to go unnoticed.

"On no you don't, Elizabeth," Voldemort sneered. He aimed his wand at her, and she tensed in preparation, certain she was in for another dose of mind-numbing agony. "_Imperio!_"

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In the dormitories of Hogwarts, chaos reigned. Prefects tried to get the younger students to remain calm, but it seemed to be an exercise in futility. Bright flashes of green flames, transporting the terrified students via the Floo Network, illuminated the four Common Rooms, and slowly but surely every single student, minus several stubborn sixth and seventh years were safely away.

The students who remained were locked within the castle, however, and would serve as a second front in case the Death Eaters managed to gain entrance to the building. Fred and George Weasley had taken the initiative of setting up some very effective traps, which had the teachers wondering just what they'd been planning to do with a portable swamp in the first place.

In the Forest below the castle, a group of ninety people; Professors, Aurors, Order members and students followed the plans that they'd been discussing for months. They'd been hoping that this would never happen, that Voldemort would never dare to attack the castle, but they'd made plans for even the worst of eventualities. Aurors had flooed into the school, Order Members had portkeyed through the wards, and the Teachers were willing to give their lives in the fight to defend the school.

Harry, Ron, Blaise and Hermione travelled silently through the woods, their hearts pounding wildly at what was to come, but resolute in their determination to meet it with their heads held high.

Ron stiffened as he heard the howling of wolves nearby.

"D'you reckon that was Lupin?" he asked softly.

Another howl was followed by a chorus of voices that seemed to be travelling closer and closer.

"I don't think so," Hermione replied. "Keep your eyes open."

"W-what spell did Lupin teach us to defend against werewolves?" Ron asked.

"It's a variation of _Augmenti_. _Sterlantis_. Wand starts up near your ear, and flicks down to cast, like lashing a whip," Hermione said. "It shoots shards of silver at them, a bit like shooting them with muggle guns."

Ron nodded his head quickly, his breathing rapid, his body tense.

Harry was running through the spells that Lupin had taught them with quiet determination. _For neither can live while the other survives_.

The ex-Professor had been teaching them as many Defence spells as he could in an effort to arm Harry, Blaise, Hermione and Ron with the tools that they would inevitably need. Harry was destined to fight against the Dark Lord, and Ron and Hermione had bound themselves to his side. Blaise was there to fight for her sister, and even though the thought of going against her father didn't fill her with confidence, just knowing that her sister was mixed up in the mess of battle was enough to harden her resolve.

They would find Buffy, defeat Lord Voldemort, and be the victors in a battle whose outcome could only be two possibilities.

Voldemort's death, or Harry's.

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The first Auror to come across a Death Eater literally stumbled over the woman. Nymphadora Tonks, the youngest Auror of the current ranks, tumbled gracelessly over Bellatrix Lestrange, and found herself face to face with a woman who looked exactly like her mother. Tonks' eyes narrowed in disgust.

"Lestrange!"

"Little Nymphie!" Bellatrix crowed in delight. She took a special joy in watching her niece flinch at the nickname. "_Crucio_!"

Tonks, known mostly for her ability to stumble over any flat surface, moved effortlessly to the side of the curse, her Auror training coming in handy. She'd been taught by Alastor Moody, and the words '_constant vigilance_' were a way of life, and not just meaningless waffle.

Bellatrix glared in disgust.

"Stand still, you useless whelp!"

"Not a chance, Auntie," Tonks replied, her eyes hard, an unrecognisable expression of hatred crossing the face of the usually easy-going Auror. "_Stupefy! Stupefy!_"

Casting the same spell in succession, and aiming the second a little to the side was a method that worked fifty percent of the time. When being cursed at, it was natural to duck away if possible, so aiming the second slightly left or right meant that it was possible to stun an opponent with the second spell. To Tonks' good fortune, Bellatrix moved left, into the red jet of magic that promptly knocked the woman to the floor, stunning her. Tonks conjured a set of chains, took her aunt's wand and petrified her body. She wouldn't be moving without help.

A Disillusionment Charm would keep any of Bellatrix's comrades from finding the woman easily. Tonks took note of where she was, and knew to come back when they'd won the war. Optimism was all a part of winning.

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Sirius Black trotted alongside a werewolf, his large animagus form of a shaggy black dog moved quietly through the Forest. With a transformed Moony by his side, the two large creatures made an impressive picture. Both animals had a superior sense of smell, and were following the scent of intruders into the Forest. Moony was whimpering softly, recognising the scent of his goddaughter among the Death-Eaters who had broken through the Hogwarts wards.

Knowing that Buffy was here was a double edged sword. It meant that she was still alive, but what condition he would find her in would be anyone's guess.

Padfoot stopped suddenly, growling low in his throat. A branch snapped in front of them, and both Moony and Padfoot sprang into violent action, pouncing upon a pair of Death-Eaters who had been sent ahead of the group. Fangs flashed savagely, and the screams of bleeding Death-Eaters ran through the night.

When the two dark wizards were still and lay bleeding on the Forest floor, Moony and Padfoot moved deeper into the Forest, ready for anything that came their way. And while Remus Lupin may not have agreed with the use of his teeth as weapons, he knew that the Headmaster was correct in saying that the Death-Eaters had made their own futures.

He would bite to kill, however. No one should have to bare the curse that had plagued his life for so long. Not even his worst enemies.

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On the other side of the Forest, a young blonde girl walked haltingly, her wand raised defensively in front of her. At her side, a large snake slithered slowly onwards. Behind them, a man, tall and skeletally thin moved gracefully, almost seeming to float as the trio made their way through the Forbidden Forest towards the Hogwarts castle.

The girl shook, trembling violently even as her legs moved against her will. Her wand hand was clenched tightly, but as hard as she tried to drop the wooden stick, her fingers would not obey.

"We're close," Voldemort proclaimed. "I can almost smell him."

The snake stopped for a moment, sniffing the air before pushing them a fraction more to the south.

Hidden, invisible and scentless, a man watched, waiting for the perfect moment. His feet moved swiftly, his steps light and his stance perfectly balanced. Not even the sensitive hearing of the snake could pick up his footsteps. He'd perfected his technique of walking silently long ago, and learned masking spells to hide him from malevolent foes.

"Come, now, Elizabeth," Voldemort said, his long spindly fingers trailing across the back of the girls' shoulders, "not much longer now."

Buffy's feet stumbled as her mind told her to move, and her heart told her to stay put.

Voldemort pushed her impatiently, his hand staying in the centre of her back as they began moving after the snake, Nagini. The snake hissed as she picked up the scent of four young students, her mouth salivating at the scent of fresh blood.

"Remember, Nagini, the boy is mine," Voldemort warned.

The snake gave what seemed to be a shrug, and then continued into the woods. The Forest gave way to a clearing, the bright full moon casting shadows among the trees that surrounded them.

The Dark Lord pointed his wand at his throat, casting the '_Sonoros_' charm to magnify his voice. Shouting was very undignified for a Dark Lord.

"Potter! Come out, come out boy, before I let my dear friend here bite your sister to her bloody death!" Voldemort said. His voice echoed in the evening, making its way through the trees to where Harry stood with his two friends on either side of him.

Harry's fist clenched tightly. He didn't dare believe that Voldemort could actually have his sister. It didn't seem possible. She'd been missing for three weeks, and to have her suddenly thrown at him as a threat seemed all too convenient. He looked to Blaise, who looked as conflicted as he was, the thought of their sister in danger was a horrifying prospect.

"Come now, boy, do you truly wish to see your sister as food for a snake?" Voldemort taunted.

Hermione looked worriedly at the Boy-Who-Lived, and saw his indecision. She knew that it wasn't a matter of bravery, but rather the thought that something could go terribly wrong. If Hermione and Ron hadn't been at his side, there was no doubt that Harry would have run straight into the waiting arms of the Dark Lord.

"Let's get closer," Hermione suggested.

She'd never forgive herself if anything happened to Buffy. She had a feeling that Harry would rather die than see his sister in the fangs of a cobra.

Harry nodded, extremely thankful that Hermione had suggested it. They crept forwards, slowly and quietly, moving on their toes, and keeping to the shadows until they were able to see that the Dark Lord spoke truthfully.

Buffy stood between the snake and the Dark Lord, her wand raised, pointing outwards. Harry's heart stuttered in confusion. Blaise narrowed her eyes, unable to believe that Buffy would ever willingly be at the Dark Lord's side, her wand raised against her best friends.

"Step into the moonlight, Potter," Voldemort ordered, and then cancelled the spell magnifying his voice.

Harry stepped forward, his wand pointing at Voldemort. Hermione and Ron flanked him, their wands on Nagini. Blaise took a position to Hermione's left her eyes never leaving her sister whose eyes seemed to be blank and cold.

"A joyous reunion!" Voldemort taunted. "Sadly, I must say that your sister is not as glad to see you. She's going to kill you Potter, unless you kill her first."

Harry's eyes flickered to his twin, who was standing rigidly still, her fist clenched around her wand which he finally noticed was aimed at his heart.

"Buffy!"

There wasn't even a flicker of recognition as he and Blaise yelled her name.

"Kill him, my girl," Voldemort ordered, his hand coming to rest in the pale blonde hair, twining his fingers through the strands that fell about her shoulders.

Buffy shook fiercely, her entire body trembling with the force of her heart denying the order, even as her mind betrayed her, telling her that killing him would please her Lord and Master. That killing him would bring her everything she'd ever wanted. Killing him would give her back her family.

"Buffy, what are you doing?" Blaise asked sharply.

Hermione was the first to catch on to what was happening. "The Imperius," she whispered.

Harry felt his heart sink. Of course, having his sister under the Imperius was less heart-breaking than the thought that she would ever willingly betray him. Unfortunately, the thought left him with very little comfort when faced with the realisation that her wand was still pointing at his chest.

"Buffy, fight it!" Harry yelled. He took a step forward, but Ron grabbed his elbow and held him back.

"Two little words, my girl, and you'll have everything you ever wanted," Voldemort said softly.

Buffy's head began shaking side to side, a silent defiance of the voice in her mind, and the silky seductive tone of the Dark Lord who whispered in her ear. Her hand shook violently, her wand waving in a dangerously erratic pattern.

"Kill him!"

"Fight it!" Harry yelled.

A loud and unexpected snap startled the waiting wizards and witch, bringing a halt to the stand-off. Voldemort's eyes blazed angrily as he saw that Buffy had snapped her wand in half and lowered her hand. She turned, her eyes clear and bright, and without any further thought, she launched herself at the Dark Lord. A split second before her fists landed on him, however, a silent and invisible spell sent the Dark Lord tumbling to the ground. The Slayer, confused but undeterred, let her fists fly at his face, punching him continuously with every ounce of strength she possessed.

For a few startled moments, no one moved. Nagini was the first to recover, and lunged at the Slayer, the momentum driving the Slayer and the snake away from the bleeding Dark Lord.

Harry raced forward, his wand out, and halfway through an incantation before he'd realised how much of an instinct it was to try and spell the Dark Lord.

"_Incarcerous!_"

Hermione, her wand pointed at the snake. With an image in mind, the snake began to shrink, her fangs becoming no sharper than average teeth, and her size now bigger than an iguana.

Ron finished off the former snake with a heartfelt "_Reducto!"_, and then all attention turned back to the Dark Lord. The four teens had their wands trained on the wizard.

With a casual flick of his wand, Voldemort had freed himself, and was angrier than ever.

"Stunners, on three," Harry said.

"One...two...three..._STUPEFY!_"

Voldemort created a shield, and stared challengingly at the student warriors.

"You can't believe that I would be so easily defeated," he taunted.

The four students, who still had wands (and magic), glanced at each other, and immediately launched into a synchronised, and silent round of spell casting. The Dark Lord had a harder time deflecting all of the curses and hexes coming from the teens, and one of the Cutting Charms even managed to cause some damage.

The spike in adrenaline from damaging the Dark Lord was intense, and the teens continued their silent spells as Buffy watched in amazement. Obviously her friends and siblings had been going through some very intense training while she'd been gone.

The noise of the damage being done by curses hitting trees and rocks finally caught the attention of both sides of the Battle. Aurors, Order Members and Professors all found their way to the impromptu battle against the Dark Lord. It was an impressed group that found the teenagers holding their own against the Darkest Wizard of the generation.

Death Eaters began swarming into the fight as well, and Buffy was eagre to get back into the fight. Even without her wand, Buffy was still deadly with her hands. Having trained as a Slayer for three years, and having the strength to go with that training leant her a huge advantage over the mere mortals who were trying to kill her and her friends.

Buffy caught a glimpse of her 'father' in the surging crowd of Death Eaters. Benjamin Zabini's eyes caught Buffy's, and he stared at her, hatred in his eyes.

"Traitorous spawn!" he swore angrily, his wand aiming straight at Buffy's heart.

Buffy found that she had no words to adequately describe her father, who she'd looked up to for so many years. With anger and hatred on her side, she flew into a rage, grabbing hold of Ben's robes and punching him angrily. Unprepared for such a physical attack, Ben fell to the ground.

He pointed his wand shakily at her. "_Crucio!_"

Buffy pivoted and rolled, dodging the violent curse, and ending up closer to the man who'd raised her. She spun, kicking him in the head, and knocking him unconscious. She stared at him for a moment, remembering the torment he'd put her through, and the lengths that she'd tried to go for his approval.

She turned away. He wasn't worth her time.

Mere metres away, Buffy noticed that there was a small group of fighters, Death Eater affiliates, she surmised, who were also going for a more physical battle. They carried no wands, and cast no spells, and still they seemed to be leaving a trail of victims behind them.

A glitter of moonlight shone off the teeth of one of the women, and Buffy's mind easily clicked onto the answer. She bent to the ground, grabbed a sharp and solid stick, and rushed headlong into the fray between man and vampire. Throwing a Slayer into the mix certainly turned the tide.

Tonks found herself being cornered by Rabastan and Rodolphus Lestrange, one of whom was her uncle by marriage, and she was casting furiously, trying to beat the two men as they attempted to push her further away from the battle.

A sudden growl made the three combatants stop nervously, and glance around. The sudden emergence of a werewolf made Rodolphus and Rabastan all the more confident. They turned their backs on the wolf, and its' strange canine companion, only to realise moments later the mistake they'd made.

Tonks nodded her appreciation to Moony and Padfoot, the latter who bounded up to her and licked her face, and the former her nuzzled his head against her hand. Tonks found a moment to allow herself to smile at the antics of the two men who'd brought so much to the Order. Remus, especially could make her smile.

Molly and Arthur fought side by side, protecting one another as they had done for so many years. It had been the better part of fifteen years since the last time Molly had been in combat, but somehow she was far better than she'd ever been back in her twenties. She wondered if it had anything to do with the skills she'd acquired of looking after so many people at once. Keeping her attention on the twins had certainly prepared her for anything that an opponent could throw at her.

On the other side of the battle, Severus Snape was finally allowed to show his true colours. Violent and damaging hexes flew from his mouth, spells he'd been aching for years to try on men and women he had no respect for. Death Eater after Death Eater fell to Snape's brutal attacks, their surprise at a comrade in arms turning on them so profound that it distracted a great number of them.

Crabbe and Goyle fell to Snape's attacks. Parkinson, Mulciber and McNair followed. A stunning spell struck Snape from behind, and just when he thought his life was over, a giant shaggy dog leapt over him and mauled the shaking form of Peter Pettigrew, who'd been trying to curse the Potions Master from behind. Snape could only stare incredulously at the animagus form of Sirius Black, who had just saved his life.

Padfoot gave his best version of a sneer as he could, wishing he could make it abundantly clear that he hadn't been trying to save Snape, but to kill Peter. The animagus bounded away, leaving Snape to goggle over his enemy's behaviour. That was another life debt that he owed to someone he hated.

In the centre of the chaotic battle was Dumbledore, who was locked in battle with Voldemort. The two wizards were casting complex spells at one another, conjuring fire beasts and water balls in an attempt to finally do away with the other. The two wizards were focussed on each other, Voldemort dismissing the damage they were doing to their surroundings, while Dumbeldore tried desperately to keep his allies from being injured.

The Headmaster began reorganising the battle field, magically pushing away every other person within sight, while pulling the trees in close, forming a tight circle around them. Voldemort was unconcerned with the display of such strong magic, and instead continued to focus on his attempt at getting through the strong shields protecting Dumbledore.

"This is the end for you, Tom," Dumbledore said, his voice firm, his eyes hard as steel.

"You haven't won, old man," Voldemort replied confidently. "You can't win. No one can destroy me!"

"If that were true, you wouldn't have been so concerned fifteen years ago," Dumbledore reminded him.

Voldemort sneered angrily, though his eyes immediately began seeking out the Potter boy. Harry, Ron, Hermione and Blaise were standing in a circle, back to back, fighting against a group of Death Eaters, silently casting spells that none of Voldemort's allies had expected the teens to be capable of. Harry was bleeding from a myriad of injuries, Hermione was tiring, Ron's left arm was broken and shoved into a makeshift sling, and Blaise Zabini had blood dripping from her nose.

"As though a boy could defeat me," Voldemort scoffed. "He hides behind your coattails, and clings to his worthless friends."

"You never did understand the power of friendship, did you Tom? You never let yourself trust anyone as much as Harry trusts his friends."

"Trust," Voldemort spat in distaste. "Where did trust get the Potters? Where did trust get anyone in life. There's only power, and those too weak to seek it. Trust has nothing to do with life. And I can prove it to you. _Avada Kedavra!_"

Rather than aiming at Dumbledore, who'd magically pulled a tree stump in front of him, Voldemort aimed the Killing Curse towards Harry.

When the Boy-Who-Lived slumped to the ground, the battle stopped, and Voldemort began to laugh.

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Points to anyone who can spot the (slightly adjusted) quote from 'Wicked' the Musical in the first ten paragraphs. It's mostly still intact. I've listened to the soundtrack non-stop for four months, I'm not joking! I LOVED this musical, go see it if you haven't!

Thanks for your reviews!!


	47. The Eighth

CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN: THE EIGHTH

Harry's eyes shot open. He looked to his twin who seemed as confused as he did, and he reached out his hand to her. She grabbed hold of him, and they clung to each other tightly.

"Where are we?" Harry whispered softly, uncertain why he felt the need to speak softly, but afraid that any loud noise would break the peace he felt.

"No idea," Buffy admitted. "The last time I kinda died, the room was insanely bright."

Harry glanced around curiously, but couldn't recognise any part of the meadow that he and Buffy were in. Sunlight streamed through tall trees, and a babbling brook trickled close by.

"D'you hear that?" Buffy asked.

Harry stood still, listening closely. He could hear soft whimpers, a crying mewl that sounded like a dying child.

"It's coming from over there," Harry pointed.

The twins carefully approached the direction of the sound, and in a dark shadow, beneath a dying tree, a small, naked figure, its skin raw and rough lay shuddering in the dirt, struggling for breath.

Harry crouched beside it, his hand reaching out to comfort a creature in pain. Buffy grabbed his wrist.

"Don't touch it," she warned. Her heart was beating frantically.

Harry considered the warning, and he let his hand fall back to his side. Now that she'd cautioned him, he too could feel the very wrongness of the whimpering bundle.

"What do you think it is?" he asked.

Buffy shook her head. Not because she didn't have an idea, but because the idea she had meant something so intensely horrible that it didn't bare thinking about. The answer seemed so obvious, though she'd never even thought of it before.

"I...I think it's Voldemort."

The creature screamed at hearing the word, and the twins took a step back.

"Voldemort?" Harry asked in confusion. "Why'd you think that?"

"Harry...I think we're dead," Buffy said.

Harry's eyes widened.

"I...I remember seeing a green flash of light," he admitted. "But, why would you...I mean, if I die, does that mean you do as well?"

Buffy shrugged. "It seems so."

Harry breathed out softly, unable to believe that his death had caused Buffy's as well. It seemed so grossly unfair that they should be so closely linked. He loved finally having a sister, and forging the connection between them had filled him with a happiness he'd never had before, but the price of that connection seemed much too high a cost.

"Why would me dying turn Voldemort into _that_?" Harry asked, gesturing towards the suffocating creature.

Buffy looked up at her brother, realising for the first time that his scar seemed to be all but invisible. The answer wasn't an easy one, though it did seem to be inevitable. She wondered whether or not Dumbledore had deliberately kept the knowledge from Harry or if the Headmaster hadn't known it himself.

"I think it's a part of Voldemort's soul. He had the power to destroy his own Horcruxes if he chose. And when he killed you, he destroyed the last Horcrux. I doubt he even knew that he'd left part of his soul in you the night he killed our parents."

Harry stared at her in horror.

"A Horcrux?"

Buffy nodded.

"I was..."

She nodded again.

"But, I..."

She shook her head.

Harry fell to his knees in despair. A Horcrux. He'd had a Horcrux inside of him.

"It explains so many things Harry," Buffy said. "The dreams. The headaches. Why you couldn't stand to have him near you. How you knew what he was planning. You and he are connected, and I think the Horcrux is why."

A tear tracked down Harry's cheek. "_Neither can live while the other survives_."

"I think that's what it meant. Voldemort _had_ to kill you to destroy the Horcrux. Somehow, I think if you'd been killed by anyone else, it would have released the portion of soul, back to Voldemort again."

"So, if Voldemort had actually managed to get you to cast the Killing Curse at me, the Horcrux _wouldn't_ have been destroyed?" Harry asked.

Buffy suddenly grinned. "You wouldn't even have been killed Harry. I've been meaning to mention that. I couldn't have killed you, even if I wanted to."

Harry's eyes narrowed, not only confused as to the implications of what Buffy was saying, but trying to work out how he could have avoided being killed by his twin when she'd been under the effects of the Imperius Curse.

"That spell that we found in Rhysna's Compositions...it had serious consequences. Magic has a price. And using that sort of magic without the best of intentions means that you have to pay that price," Buffy explained. "I didn't understand it properly. I thought that my intentions in finding the locket had to be pure towards the owner of the locket."

"Didn't they?" Harry asked.

Buffy shook her head. "The locket is imbued with the darkest magic known to the wizarding world. The magic wouldn't have cared if I'd been thinking of destroying it. But, with me thinking how great it would be to be able to restore the locket to Voldemort in order to bring him strength, it saw only bad intentions. And the magic didn't like the idea of being used for dark purposes."

"So what happened? You were gone for three weeks," Harry said.

"To me, it felt like barely minutes. The short story though, is that I lost my magic."

Harry gaped at her, unable to fathom the idea of being without his magic. It had been such a huge part of his life for the better part of five years. He couldn't imagine how Buffy, who'd been brought up in a wizarding family, knowing and relying on that magic her whole life, could handle such a price.

"You're..."

"A squib? Or a muggle? You bet."

"Sweet Merlin," Harry whispered. He grabbed hold of his twin and hugged her tightly.

"It's okay, Harry. Getting that locket and destroying it was well worth the price of admission," Buffy said.

Still, Harry could only feel guilt for the loss. He knew that in the grand scheme of things, t wasn't his fault that Voldemort had created Horcruxes, or that Regulus Black had hidden one, possibly buried it in hopes of it never being found again. And yet Harry felt as though the journey to kill Voldemort had been brought about because of him.

"Harry, it doesn't matter. I lived as a muggle for three years, I can do it again. I can still defend myself. And, you have to admit, I managed to hold my own against the Death Eaters," she pointed out.

Harry had to smirk at the memory of seeing his petite sister beating the hell out of fully grown men who'd towered over her. Most average witch or wizard thought nothing of learning to defend themselves physically. But, without her wand, or any sort of magic, Buffy had been able to subdue a good number of Death Eaters, and had fought her way through a Kiss of Vampires, leaving none of them standing.

"Without his Horcruxes, Voldemort's mortal again," Buffy said, returning to her previous train of thought. "I think that's the power he knew not. If he didn't know there was a Horcrux inside you, then it makes sense that killing you weakened him. He won't even see it coming."

Harry felt tears welling, his chest felt heavy and tight, and he couldn't believe just how horrible the truth was, stacked on top of the already burdensome weight of knowing that the price of this war had cost so much from so many of his friends. He wanted to be sick, but didn't understand how he could be feeling so wretched if he was meant to be dead.

"So, anyone can kill Volemort now, it doesn't matter who does it. The prophecy's already come to pass," Harry said. "And you and I had to die for it to happen."

Buffy grabbed hold of her brother, clinging to him tightly.

"But...why aren't we dead? Shouldn't mum and dad be here?" he asked.

Buffy was as stumped as her brother. When she'd been in the In-Between, Alice Longbottom had provided so many of the answers for her. She'd had a choice then, to move forward, or go back to help fight the god fight. Perhaps there was to be a similar choice now.

"Maybe...maybe we're not dead," Harry realised softly.

"He AK'd you, Harry."

"Yeah, and he stuffed it up the first time around, too," Harry reminded her. "M..._our_ mother's sacrifice protected me against him. Maybe it did it again."

"But how would that help me?" Buffy asked. "Mum died for you, all the protective blood magic was for you."

Harry shook his head. He didn't understand enough about how his mother had saved his life when he was just a toddler. If he ever managed to go back, he'd be sure to ask Dumbledore all about the charms and rituals that had been involved.

"Blood magic," Buffy mused softly.

She glanced down at her arm where a barely visible scar remained from the night that Voldemort had been resurrected. Harry followed her gaze, and saw the cut that matched his own. His eyes widened.

"Voldemort used our blood in the ritual to come back to life," Harry said.

Buffy began snickering softly. "Wouldn't that be ironic?" she mused. "He uses us to make him stronger, and ends up saving our lives instead."

Harry chuckled and glanced around the meadow. To the south there was a copse of trees. Harry felt a flicker of memory from his muggle school days as he glanced at them.

_Two roads diverged in a yellow wood..._

_And I - I took the one less travelled._

"Come with me," he said to his twin, holding out his hand to her.

Buffy easily accepted, allowing herself to be pulled to the divergence in the trees. The left-side path was clear, sunlight shining through. The right-side path was rocky, shadowed and unkempt.

Harry felt a flash of memory, and shared it with his sister.

"If the time should come when you have a choice between what is right, and what is easy..." he quoted softly, Albus Dumbledore's words flowing smoothly off his lips, as though they'd been intended for Harry to echo one day.

"Right?" Buffy asked.

Harry grinned. "Right."

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Harry suddenly felt the aches and pains of his body, but kept perfectly still. Behind him, he could hear Hermione's soft cries, and Ron's gulping sobs. Blaise was sniffling, and the battle had come to a standstill.

"You see?" screeched Voldemort. "Harry Potter is dead by my hand, and no man can threaten me now!"

"His sister is dead too," came a voice from the trees. Harry didn't recognise the voice, but wondered what the next move should be. If both he and Buffy were feigning death, then their friends and allies were going to be exceptionally distracted. Then again, no one was expecting them to be alive and well, either. It was best to wait for the best moment to strike.

"The battle is won," Voldemort proclaimed. "You have lost half your fighters. My Death Eaters outnumber you and the Boy Who Lived is finished. His sister lies dead beside him. Anyone who continues to resist, man, woman or child, will be slaughtered, as will every member of their family. Come and kneel before me, and you shall be spared. You will join me in the new world we shall build together."

Silence reigned. No one moved. Voldemort snarled angrily.

"I am offering you mercy, like never before! Who will join me?"

"I'll join you," came the cold voice of Ron Weasley. There was a gasp from the crowd, and Harry stiffened. "I'll join you when hell freezes over!"

At that proclamation the battle began once more. With everyone's attention directed at surviving, Harry Disillusioned himself and got out of the way of the battle. He jumped, startled, as a hand touched his arm. He turned to see his twin smiling at him. He hugged her tightly.

"Now's our chance. No one's expecting us," Harry said.

The battle seemed to have grown smaller, though no less vicious. Harry noticed Molly and Arthur Weasley had been joined by their two eldest sons, Bill and Charlie. Moony and Padfoot worked together to bring down the werewolf pack that Voldemort had brought to the fight. Snape was at Dumledore's side.

Harry couldn't help but notice how many people were missing, though. Hestia Jones was nowhere to be seen. Dedalus Diggle was gone too. The Aurors who'd been such a huge boost to their numbers seemed to have dropped away as well. Harry noticed that Tonks seemed to be missing in action, and he hoped that she was just out of sight for the moment. He enjoyed the Metamorphmagus' sense of humour.

He crept closer to Voldemort, keeping Buffy at his side. A nagging feeling caught him. He grabbed Buffy's hand and gave her the means to destroy a Horcrux, before turning back to watch the fight.

When they were within a few feet of the Dark Lord and Dumbledore, Harry watched in shock as the Headmaster was disarmed, and Voldemort grinned gleefully. He aimed his wand, and Harry knew he had only moments to act.

"_Protego!_" he roared, and the Shield Charm expanded between Dumbledore and Voldemort. The Dark Lord stared around for the source of the spell, and Harry and Buffy dropped their Disillusionment Charms.

"You!" Voldemort yelled in disgust. "Both of you!"

"You won't be killing anyone else tonight," said Harry, his voice calm, and his eyes staring straight at Voldemort's. "Your Horcruxes are gone, destroyed by Dumbledore and the Order. You're not immortal. You're not invulnerable. You're just a man who's too scared to die, too frightened of what comes after. Questioning whether there's a heaven or a hell. We all know you won't qualify for heaven. How does it feel, knowing you're about to die?"

Voldemort flourished his wand at Harry and shouted "_Avada Kedavra!_"

Harry had his wand out, and a silent spell of his own cast. With a week and a half spent without speaking, he'd learned what it took to cast silently. He'd realised what a massive advantage it was to be able to cast with only a thought, because saying the words took far longer.

He aimed his disarming spell at Voldemort, and just like the last time they met, their spells met, creating a bright beam of light that flowed over them like a dome. Harry had been expecting it, more than that, he'd been counting on it.

"Buffy, now!"

With the Dark Lord distracted, and Buffy within the dome's circle, connected to Harry with their twin-bond, and Voldemort through the blood that flowed through his magically made veins, Buffy was able to get closer to Volemort than any other had the whole evening.

Sword in hand, Buffy gripped tightly and plunged the sword through Voldemort's chest and into his heart. Voldemort looked stunned, truly amazed that anyone had dared to try to kill him. The _Priori Incantatem_ effect vanished, and Harry moved forward to grab his sister. He had no doubt that Voldemort's death would be violent.

The Dark Lord stared at the sword poking through his chest, and let out a terrible scream of anger and anguish.

With a flash of insight, Harry grabbed Buffy and flung her to the ground, taking cover behind a massive tree as the dark magic gathered itself together and finally could not hold its shape. With no soul to give it form, and nothing to hold it to the earth, Voldemort's body erupted violently, making the trees shake, and the earth to roar in protest.

Buffy shakily forced herself to look up, and saw a huge black hole that cratered down at least twelve feet.

Voldemort was gone.

Harry released the breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding. His eyes met Buffy's, and the smile on his face would never be forgotten in the years to come.

Voldemort was gone.

Harry turned away from the corpse, and grabbed Buffy into a tight hug.

Blaise stepped towards them, and Harry relinquished her to her sister. Blaise gripped her sister tightly, before punching the girl in the arm, hard enough to make a point, but not enough to injure.

"Ow, Merlin Blaise!"

"Well if you'd stop doing stupid things like dying..." she trailed off as her sister rolled her eyes.

Harry snorted with laughter, and Blaise winked at the Gryffindor boy.

"I'm a Potter and a Zabini, Blaise...stupid things are like air to us," Buffy reminded her.

Blaise smiled and hugged the shorter girl once more. It was good to hear Buffy recognise their familial bond, despite the fact that Buffy would never again go by the name Zabini. She had a feeling that when this was all over, Buffy would reclaim her heritage, and return to being a Potter.

For now, though, she cast the thoughts aside.

Voldemort was gone.

00000000

apollotuba: Well spotted on the Wicked quote! For some reason, whenever I hear 'terrible green blizzard', I always think 'lizard' would fit better. *grin*

As to Buffy strugglin with the Imperius in the previous chapter...well, she hasn't had time to test to see if her magic is gone, really. Probably casting the AK wouldn't b the best way to test the waters. *grins*

Thanks for the reviews peeps!!


	48. The Real World

CHAPTER FORTY-EIGHT: THE REAL WORLD

Forty-five Death Eaters had marched on Hogwarts that fateful evening. Twenty-two were killed. Eight were in the permanent residents ward of Saint Mungo's, expected never to regain awaken. Fourteen had been put on trial by the Ministry. Each and every one of them had been given a life sentence in Azkaban. The fifteenth Death-Eater, Rupert Giles, was hailed as a hero for his staunch efforts against the Dark Lord, and his continual fight for the Greater Good.

The Dementors had abandoned their attack when they realised that Voldemort was dead, and none of the witches and wizards who were now in power were going to allow them free reign, they'd disappeared. So far, no sightings had been reported. There was very suspicious poor weather near Azkaban once more, though.

The Kiss of Vampires that Voldemort had employed were all destroyed, courtesy of a young Vampire Slayer whose first test against her fated enemies had shown her to be more than talented.

The werewolves, led by Fenrir Greyback had taken a significant hit. Their leader had been killed by Remus Lupin, who, while not a man of violence, was deeply satisfied to finally be rid of the man who'd cursed him for life.

Of the ninety witches and wizards who had marched against the Death Eaters at the Battle for Hogwarts, sixteen had been killed by the enemy.

Hestia Jones and Dedalus Diggle were found amongst the dead.

Eight more of the Light were in Saint Mungo's. Tonks had been injured by one of the Lestrange men, but had fought through her injury. Medi-witches expected her to make a full recovery.

Within days of the defeat of the Dark Lord, reporters were clamouring for interviews with the 'Famous Five', and were offering obscene amounts of money to anyone who could give them information about the remarkable teens.

The story of Elizabeth Potter was brought into the spotlight, and Buffy's fear of becoming the Girl-Who-Was-Captured was quickly coming true. The 'Lost Potter Girl' was the name most frequently bandied about, much to Buffy's disgust.

With the trials of the Death Eaters over, and the Dark Lord well and truly gone, there was a minor reshuffling of the government. When the truth of the Death Eaters identities came to light, the Ministry was forced to recognise that there were corrupt factions who had accepted bribes to ensure that Death Eaters stayed out of Azkaban. Cornelius Fudge was unceremoniously ejected from office.

The head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, Amelia Bones, was quickly voted into the position of Minister of Magic. The funds recovered from Fudge were dispersed to the families of the victims of the Death-Eaters. Convicted Death-Eaters estates were liquidated, and the money was donated to those who'd been hardest hit by the war.

A month after the battle was over, Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry was officially re-opened. The difference in attendance was noticed on the first day of term, when the Great Hall was filled with all of its returning students. Sixty percent of the Slytherin table was empty, and the returning students of Salazar's house looked lost, and lonely, surrounded by so many empty seats.

Blaise Zabini sat about halfway down the table, facing the Great Hall, her back to the wall. On the opposite side of the table, the only other two Fifth Years to return were Daphne Greengrass and Tracey Davis. It was a little known fact in Slytherin house that there were no fewer than twenty half-bloods at any time within the house. Tracey Davis was one of those twenty. Her mother was a muggle, and her father had been a Ravenclaw. With no allegiance to Lord Voldemort, Tracey had kept her head down, and kept her thoughts to herself. In Slytherin, that particular attitude conveyed a mysterious nature, rather than a fearful one.

Daphne Greengrass came from a family of Neutral power. They'd supported neither the Dark Lord, nor the Ministry of Magic. And while sitting on the fence hadn't meant their absolute safety, it had given them the freedom to survive the aftermath of the war unscathed.

Students whose loyalty had been given to the Dark Lord, however, had remained as far away from Hogwarts as possible. And then there were those, who, like Draco Malfoy, had been forced to stay away after finding that their estate and the bulk of their inheritance had been commandeered and donated to the victims of the Death Eaters.

The students who could no longer afford the tuition had been offered the opportunity to stay on, despite their lack of funds. Slytherins, however, accepted charity from no one.

The other three houses however, were glad to return to Hogwarts. The level of noise throughout the Great Hall was phenomenal, each of the students sharing stories of their daring escapes through the Floo network. Exaggerations about fighting off Death Eaters were already flying around the school. Fred and George Weasley in particular proved to be a great source of entertainment went it came to creative stories, though no one knew how much was to be believed.

For the Gryffindor's though, there was one student that was sorely missed. The revelation of 'The Lost Potter Girl' had been startling for the Wizarding World. To hear that she had lost her magic in the Battle for Hogwarts only lead to more and more rumours circulating about the mysterious girl, whose past was still a riddle for many.

Elizabeth 'Buffy' Potter was not returning to Hogwarts. After revealing her true name to the Wizarding World Buffy had disappeared without a trace. Whenever anyone asked the remaining members of the 'Famous Five', the only answer that was given was a sad look, and hazy eyes, followed by a depressed 'I don't want to talk about it' that usually made people move on.

In the middle of the Gryffindor table, Harry, Ron and Hermione sat huddled on a bench, their heads leaning in together, their voices low and unheard by their housemates. Remus Lupin had taught them a very useful spell '_muffilato_', which rendered their conversations indecipherable to any would-be eavesdroppers.

"Where have they sent her this time?" Hermione asked.

"Her last owl mentioned Cleveland, but she said she wasn't expecting to stay very long," Harry replied. "Buffy wanted to head back to California to see her other friends again."

"And when do we get to see her?" Ron whispered.

"Remus said that they'd be back for the Hogsmeade weekend. So...two weeks from now. I'm sure the vampires will keep her busy, though, so we may not get any more letters until after we see her."

"Sweet Merlin...like it wasn't enough to be in a fight for her life against Voldemort, now they've got her chasing vampires across the bloody United States," Ron complained on Buffy's behalf.

Harry was no happier about it than Ron was. The thought of his twin in danger left him tense and sleepless on some nights, but he knew that if ever she needed him, he would know in an instant. Their bond had proven that they would always know if the other was injured.

"Remus said he was making sure that Buffy was still getting a well-rounded education," Hermione chimed in. "She's still learning magic."

"Theory," Harry grumbled. "Learning magical theory."

The trio fell silent, none of them able to imagine the startling difference that living as a muggle would make.

"She said she didn't mind not having magic," Hermione said softly, her voice sad. She knew that while their blonde friend had tried to keep a brave front about no longer having magic, there was still a part of her that was now missing. A part that she would no longer be able to share with her friends, or her brother and sister. Being a muggle made it difficult to share in anything magical.

"She says it...I don't believe it," Harry said. "We shouldn't have let her try that spell."

Hermione swallowed guiltily. If she'd never suggested Rhyshna's Compendium Buffy wouldn't have lost her magic. And while it may have been Buffy's choice to perform the spell, even knowing that there could be consequences, it had been Hermione's suggestion. They could have waited, researched other options. The urgency of the situation, though, had left them desperate.

"For the Greater Good," Harry said, his sister's new catch-phrase tumbling from his lips.

Ron and Hermione looked less than pleased by the familiar words. It was small comfort when compared to the enormity of what Buffy had lost in their quest to rid the world of an evil wizard.

"Even if she did still have her magic, she would've spent the term away," Harry said, though his tone didn't suggest that it was meant to be a comforting thought. "With her Calling, she'd have to have left anyway."

"Remus and Rupert will keep her safe," Hermione replied. "They won't let anything happen to her."

Harry nodded, and his eyes met those of Blaise Zabini, whose eyes expressed the same worry he felt as well. The weeks leading up to the final battle had affirmed their friendship, and bonded them together, and sharing a sister had made it all the easier.

"You know, I never thought I'd say this, but she's alright for a Slytherin," Ron admitted, seeing where Harry's eyes had strayed.

Harry couldn't help but smile. Blaise glanced at him, a question in her eyes, and Harry could only wink. Blaise grinned until her two yearmates, Daphne and Tracey turned to look over their shoulders. When the two Slytherin girls turned back to Blaise, their eyebrows were raised in speculation.

"Potter? Zabini, your father would go mental."

It only made her smile wider. Benjamin Zabini had been convicted of crimes against the wizarding world and had been sentenced to life in Azkaban. Belinda Zabini had fled when her estate had been liquidated. Blaise had no problems returning to Hogwarts on the mercy of the courts. As a war hero, she'd been offered a Scholarship, not only for her final years, but for an apprenticeship into any trade she later wished to take up.

Hermione saw the exchange between her best friend and the Slytherin, and hid her smile behind her hand. She'd never have imagined that Harry and Blaise would be able to look past the history between their families to become allies, let alone becoming friends. And if the possibility of a romance was in the air, then Hermione would be at her most encouraging. Breaking down the barriers between the Gryffindors and the Slytherins would probably go a long way in returning to the real world now that the war had been won.

Sometimes, the hardest parts of war wasn't the fighting, it was the ceasefire at the end. The knowledge that those who lost lived by the grace of those who won.

The war would only truly be over when witches and wizards finally believed that the best way forward was through equality. That Muggleborn spellcrafters, and half-blood practitioners were a necessary part of survival. Magical creatures, such as goblins, house-elves and centaurs were a necessary part of the magical community as well, and Hermione was satisfied to see the direction that the new Ministry was taking its laws. Equality may not be happening over night, but it would happen within Hermione's lifetime.

At the head of the Great Hall, Albus Dumbledore stood from his gilded seat in the centre of the Staff Table, and made his way to the podium to address the students. The younger generation fell silent as the wizened wizard stepped behind the dais.

"Welcome back, one and all, on this marvellous February day!" Dumbledore greeted them. "It's wonderful to see so many familiar faces gathered once more for the quest for knowledge of all things magical. These last few weeks have been a definite turning point in wizarding history. The battle against Lord Voldemort has been fought and won, but the real victory will not begin until the newest generation of our witches and wizards understands why it was being fought. To that end, it has been decided to add two new subjects to the curriculum that will be compulsory until the end of Fourth Year. 'Non-Wizarding Studies' will replace Muggle Studies, and 'Wizarding Culture' will be added to our list of subjects."

There was a dull buzzing sound as students began whispering to their neighbours, mostly an excited hush that ran rampant for several moments. Dumbledore held his hands up, silently requesting the students attention once more.

"'Non-Wizarding Studies' will be taught to you by Professor Janna Kalderash, who has spent the last few years as a teacher in a Muggle School in the United States of America. Professor Kalderash has an excellent grasp of technology as well as witchcraft, and I feel will make a wonderful addition to our family here at Hogwarts," Dumbledore explained.

There was a polite smattering of applause that grew louder as they realised that the woman who was to teach them was a young and beautiful woman, dressed in a Muggle outfit that was casually professional, and tailored to fit. Dark brown hair framed a heart-shaped face, and the young woman cocked an eyebrow with a smile.

"She's gorgeous!" Ron whispered.

Hermione rolled her eyes, but clapped for the new Professor with enthusiasm.

"'Wizarding Culture' will be taught by Professor Sirius Black."

Dumbledore made it no further than that before the whispers began once more, though the startled shouts of 'Sirius Black!', 'Azkaban', 'framed', and 'that rat Pettigrew' were easy enough to hear. Dumbledore lifted his hands once more, and the students calmed again.

"Professor Black will be teaching all of you the customs and cultures surrounding the traditionalist Wizarding World. It will also be a time to understand where the traditions come from, and their true intent, and a practical application to today's society. I believe Professor Black will bring a delightful approach to these lessons," Dumbledore announced.

Applause broke out from the Gryffindor table, Harry and Ron giving their new Professor a standing ovation. Sirius grinned widely at the opportunity to teach at Hogwarts, and to see his godson daily would fulfil in him a need he hadn't realised he'd wanted.

"For now students, finish your meals, join your friends in celebrating, and get a good night's sleep. Morning comes early, and light and life will prevail once more at Hogwarts."

Harry lifted his goblet. "Hear, hear!"

Ron and Hermione grabbed their cups and lifted them to clink with Harry's. All along the hall, students copied the gesture, toasting the beginning of a new era, and celebrating the end of a reign of terror which had lasted too long.

Dumbledore returned to his seat, and lifted his glass in a toast, "to new beginnings."


	49. The End

CHAPTER FORTY-NINE: THE END

Buffy ran, her heart pumping wildly, her lungs working overtime, and her entire nervous system tingling with the thrill of the hunt. Darkness reigned in Sunnydale, the night time overrun with soulless creatures hellbent on killing as many innocents as possible. Buffy threw herself forward, leaping onto a low headstone and then throwing herself into a flying tackle at the vampire who was trying to elude her. Her stake slipped easily into his chest, and Buffy landed on the ground seamlessly.

Her heart slowed, her breathing evened out, and the warning itch at the back of her neck disappeared. Three vampires in one night wasn't too bad. There were evenings with more kills, and evenings with less. Sunnydale California seemed to be a hotbed of demon activity, and her Watcher, Rupert Giles, explained that it was a combination of the hellmouth, and the presence of the Slayer that contributed to the activity.

Checking her watch, and realising it was nearly four in the morning, Buffy began the short walk back to the apartment that she shared with Remus and Rupert, wondering which of them had drawn the short straw to wait up for her. There was no pattern to it, and though Buffy had protested the need for either of them to waste their evenings, she hadn't been able to convince them to stop.

She broke into a jog, the slow run a cool-down session that eased her muscles down from the high-adrenaline activity of Slaying, and ensured that she didn't hurt herself after stressing her body so thoroughly. Giles had been insistent on the ritual of an after-Slayage jog, and Buffy had discovered for herself the after-effects of ignoring her Watcher. It mostly involved a lot of pain and ice, and she wasn't keen to try it again.

She jumped down the flight of steps that led to the terrace of the apartment and slipped her key into the lock. Opening the door, she was greeted by Remus, who sat on the couch reading.

"Buffy. Any injuries?"

"Not even a broken finger nail," she replied with a grin.

Remus looked relieved, and shifted over on the couch as Buffy approached. The Slayer sat beside him and curled herself against her godfather, his arm slipping easily over her shoulders.

"C'mon, you should get to bed before you fall asleep down here," Remus said quietly.

"Too late," Buffy murmured tiredly.

Remus smiled and kissed the girls forehead. He cherished these moments with his god-daughter, taking great pleasure in looking after a Champion of Light.

"It's a Hogsmeade weekend tomorrow. Don't you want to see your brother and sister?"

Buffy sat up, completely awake. "Hogsmeade! Let's go! Right now!"

Remus laughed, and pulled Buffy off the couch, gently guiding her up a flight of stairs to the loft room that Buffy had claimed as her own upon moving into the small flat. Remus and Rupert had rooms in the downstairs area, and shared a bathroom. Buffy's room had an ensuite that the men were only too happy to give up so long as they didn't have to share a bathroom with the Slayer, who was fastidious about her appearance.

"You need to sleep first. I'll wake you at noon, and then we'll portkey to Hogsmeade. Now, sleep," he said.

Buffy gave him a sloppy salute, and crawled into bed, toeing her shoes off, but not bothering to change clothing. Remus sighed, but left her to sleep.

He watched her for a moment, marvelling at having the girl back in his life after so long of believing her to be dead. And despite the fact that he hated the idea of her being a Slayer, he was inordinately proud of her.

Returning to Sunnydale had been Buffy's idea. When Rupert had taken charge of Buffy as his official Slayer, the Watcher's Council had sent them to America, where they were given the task of travelling the country in search of vampires, demons and the forces of darkness. After a few weeks travelling through New York, Washington, and Massachusetts, Buffy had suggested returning to Sunnydale to reunite with her Californian friends.

Willow and Xander were now Seniors at Sunnydale High School, and had been thrilled by the return of their friend, even knowing it was only temporary. Anything was better than nothing in their eyes.

Buffy kept up a bi-weekly correspondence with her Hogwarts friends, sending letters to her friends and siblings, and keeping up with the gossip that surrounded Hogwarts as the school went back into session. While it wouldn't ever be the same as going back to Hogwarts herself, it was better than the three and a half years she'd spent with no contact at all.

Remus finally turned away from the sleeping Slayer and made his way to his own room. Morning would come soon enough, and a trip to Hogsmeade to see old friends would be exactly what was needed to satisfy the homesickness that plagued both himself and his god-daughter.

He easily fell asleep, dreaming of the day to come.

00000000000

Harry, Ron, Blaise and Hermione were seated on a bench outside the Three Broomsticks, waiting, mostly patiently, for the arrival of Buffy and her two guardians. Harry was fidgeting with his wand, twirling it around his fingers with a dexterity that he'd inherited from his father. Blaise's leg was jiggling up and down, until Harry moved his hand to her knee, forcing her to be still.

"She'll be here," he promised. "Just, be calm."

Blaise sighed, but stayed still. She tried not to notice the way Harry had left his hand on her knee, but Hermione's raised eyebrows and amused eyes let Blaise know that she wasn't fooling anyone by her attempt at casual indifference.

"There she is!" Ron exclaimed.

The four teens leapt to their feet, and within moments, Buffy had run to where they stood, throwing herself into the arms of her brother and her sister, who wrapped her tightly between them.

"God, I've missed you!" Buffy exclaimed.

"Missed you too, Buff," Blaise replied softly.

Harry couldn't find the words he needed, and just settled on hugging her even tighter.

"Come on, our turn," Ron teased.

Buffy laughed slightly and disentangled herself from her siblings. She turned to give Ron a tight and heartfelt hug. Ron pulled back and held her at arm's length. "Bloody hell, you're all tanned!"

"Sunlight, Ronald," Buffy replied with a smile. "It's a brave new world."

Hermione cleared her throat, and Buffy turned to her first and oldest friend. She grinned and hugged the other girl tightly.

"I think I missed you most of all, Scarecrow," Buffy said softly.

Hermione couldn't help but laugh at the Muggle reference. There were so many differences in the girl hugging her than the Pureblood witch she'd first befriended.

"What's a scarecrow?" Ron whispered to Blaise.

Blaise shrugged, and Harry smiled. Despite his under privileged background, even he understood what Buffy had meant.

"Does that make Ron the Lion?" Hermione asked.

Buffy smiled and let her friend go. "I think Blaise is the Lion, finding her courage." she said. She paused a moment to consider their redheaded friend. "Ron's Toto."

Harry snorted with laughter, while Ron just looked more and more confused.

"What does that make me?" the Boy-Who-Lived asked.

"The Tinman," Buffy replied easily. "Trying to find your heart."

Harry couldn't disagree with that. Five years ago, he wouldn't have understood the meaning of 'love' if he hadn't met his friends.

"And you're Dorothy, then?" Hermione asked.

"Yup," Buffy replied easily. She linked arms with Hermione and Blaise, who offered their free arms to Ron and Harry. "You know what she said. There's no place like home."

END


	50. Author's Notes

AUTHOR'S NOTES:

I found it an interesting exercise to take Buffy on the journey from Pureblooded Death-Eater's kid, to Potential-Slayer/Death-Eater-(In-Pretend)-Training, to eventually a magicless muggle/Slayer. It was an interesting arc to go through, and I have to admit that taking her magic never occurred to me when I first began writing this fic (five years ago).

I still don't know if it was the right choice to make. I think it fits her character arc. She basically gives up _everything_ that made her who she started as. She's no longer the Pureblood, but rather a Half-blood. She's no longer the prejudiced kid who hated all things un-Pure. Her best friend is Muggle-Born, and her godfather is a werewolf. And she went from having magic be innate, to having to give it up in order to help the boy she was raised to hate.

Buffy basically turned a massive 180 degrees in the story. I think giving up her magic in order to return and help Harry fight Voldemort was necessary. Had she been asked five years earlier if she'd ever give up her magic, the answer would have been 'hell no'. So, five years can change a lot.

Anyhoo...you'll also have noticed that, due to some negative reactions, I also dropped the Buffy/Hermione angle that I started. There's subtext in there, and still is, even at the end, but it wasn't very well received. There's never been anything epic with Buffy/Hermione, and I wanted to take it there, but I felt the relationship wasn't really central to the story. If you wanna just read them as being good friends, you can do that too.

That's about all I have to say. No sequel!!

I've been looking at some of my other unfinished stories. No guarantees, but...hope never dies, right?

Many thanks for all your reviews, and the emails that I received in my two year hiatus! Your encouragement certainly helped inspire me to complete this fic! You're all champions!!

Happy February!

Kattie


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